Longevity Startup Doses First Human in Bid to Reverse Age-Related Sight Loss

Life Biosciences, a Boston-based longevity startup, has dosed its first human patient with ER-100, a drug designed to reverse age-related sight loss. The clinical trial, approved by the FDA, will assess safety and side effects in around 18 adults over the next year, focusing on patients with glaucoma and NAION—conditions that damage optic nerve cells critical for vision. The drug works by restoring epigenetic information lost during aging, rather than addressing irreversible cellular damage. ER-100 has previously shown success in restoring vision in monkeys, making this trial the first test of its kind in humans. Life Biosciences co-founder David Sinclair, a Harvard Medical School professor of Genetics, emphasized the potential of the therapy to 'ameliorate human disease' by reversing cellular aging. The trial represents a milestone in aging biology, a field gaining traction for its promise to combat age-related diseases beyond vision loss. Sinclair noted that aging is largely driven by epigenetic deterioration, and ER-100 could pave the way for treatments targeting other organs, including fatty liver disease. Life Biosciences is expanding its pipeline to address multiple age-related conditions using the same rejuvenation technology. This study is the first FDA-cleared human trial for cellular rejuvenation therapy, offering a groundbreaking approach to reversing damage in aging cells. If successful, it could redefine treatment strategies for degenerative diseases linked to aging. The company’s work aligns with broader biotech interest in epigenetic reprogramming as a potential solution to age-related decline.