The likes of which we thought we would never see. The pursuit of immortality or at the least a prolonged life, has gone from the edges of alternative medicine and into the chambers of Harvard Medical School.
There was a conference held at Harvard on aging and the dean of the medical school was seen welcoming attendees who ranged from participants in the 120 club [these folks intend to live that long at a minimum] to those who are sold on reduced caloric intake.
The big name in attendance was Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, the same company responsible for developing a drug that mimics resveratrol, the famous chemical compound discovered by Harvard researchers. It can also be found in therapeutic quantities in certain red wines. It is known that resveratrol activates proteins called sirtuins; this is where the company gets its moniker. When sirtuins are activated, t is thought this process aids the body to live through famine.
When mice and rats are placed on a restricted diet receiving thirty percent fewer calories, they can live as long as forty percent longer. They achieve this added time without contracting the normal age related diseases, so their quality of life is advanced as well as quantity.
Sirtris’s scientists believe the medicines that activate sirtuins actually mimic this process, toughening the body’s resolve to those diseases that are age associated. The company has manufactured thousands of chemical substances that are far more powerful than the resveratrol and is able to be taken at a lesser dosage.
When studies were conducted on mice, sirtuin activators proved successful against colon cancer and lung cancer, melanoma, lymphoma, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease, according to David Sinclair, Harvard researcher and co founder of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals. The medicine appears to decrease inflammation and should these same results occur in humans, they could help fight the many age related diseases that come with an inflammatory process, such as irritable bowel syndrome and Glaucoma.
If a drug like this was possible, and the Sirtuin activator hopes to be that drug, the resulting positive outcome for humans would be simply extraordinary. That being the case, there is significant curiosity regarding the progress being made with Sirtris’s drug trials.
The senior director of corporate development for Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Brian Gallagher, told the conference that there were currently four clinical trials taking place. SRT-501, Sirtris’s special formula for resveratrol is under study against two types of cancer – multiple myeloma and colon cancer that has metastasized to the liver. A chemical derivative that mimics resveratrol called SRT-2104 is now under a phase 2 test for type 2 diabetes, and a phase 1 trial for senior patient contributors. The phase 1 trial is for safety and phase 2 is a trial or efficiency.
Dr. Gallagher stated that a yet released test being done on mice has exhibited that a chemical mimic, SRT-1720, prolonged the life span and increased their health. After two years of studying the mice, twice as many that were ingesting the drug remained vibrant versus those that were not consuming any dosage. Resveratrol alone has not displayed any ability to augment the life span of ordinary rodents, though it has done so in overweight mice, round worms and flies.
Sirtris has much to feel fortunate about regarding their path. It has made a product development choice that is in a rapidly developing industry and the trials it is conducting are thus far harsh adverse reaction free.
There are other proteins we now know have an impact on longevity, able to mimic caloric limitation and influence the use of energy other than sirtuins. There are insulin receptors and also for a hormone known as IGF-1, as well as one of growing intrigue known as TOR or [target of rapamycin]. Rapamycin is an antimicrobial that seems to have some considerable pro longevity capabilities. Even elderly mice seem to benefit when they get the therapy. TOR has its roots in caloric restriction; rapamycin might well prolong life using this route.
Dr. Sinclair did mention that Sirtuins might not necessarily be the primary gene by magnitude since the pathways, which are regulated by the sirtuins, TOR, and the others mentioned, all communicate with one another, often in feedback loops.
Quite a few aging hypotheses regarding age progression attribute the actual aging process to the unstoppable accumulation of mutations that occur in the DNA of the individual. Sinclair stated that in his opinion aging could be reversed since DNA alterations are not directly responsible for aging. Instead, they encourage the sirtuin molecules responsible for regulating the genome to reroute to where the damage occurred. While the sirtuins are out of ordinary position, the genes are not controlled effectually and the cells response is degraded. This sirtuin alteration should be reversible, whereas DNA damage cannot be.
Sirtris Pharmaceutical co founder Christoph Westphal says that in five to seven years there will be medicines available that can actually extend longevity.
Te executive of Sirtris Pharmaceutical were hardly the most positive bunch at the conference. That position was held by Aubrey de Grey, the renowned British gerontologist, his goal being negligible senescence.
A few of the conference participants are so keen about the science of calorie restriction they are pursuing intense diets of differing caliber. One women attending said she was on a low carb diet since 2002 when her research that foods containing only two percent sugar content decreased the lifespan of laboratory worms. She shuns desserts and starches but will occasionally splurge on dark chocolate. She appears to be about ten years younger than her chronological age. Another devotee to diet reduction to prolong life who was part of the conference looked rather emaciated and a bit fragile.
Sirtris pharmaceuticals pursuit of life extension medications is based on unyielding and capable research. However, many medications fail during some phase of their trials. There is really no guarantee for any Sirtris substances working on human subjects. The outcome from a phase to clinical study will not be available until the end of 2010 at the very earliest. In the meantime, what a nice thought that in the near future we could have a medication available to humankind that could battle every age related degenerative disease faced by society today.
Tue, Jan 26, 2010
Anti Aging, Bioscience, Health And Aging, Longevity