American biotechnology company Life Biosciences has taken a historic step by obtaining permission to conduct clinical trials of its ER-100 preparation on humans. This drug activates a system for returning cells to a young state, and in modern medicine, such an experiment is being conducted on humans for the first time.
Modern scientific research shows that the main cause of aging is not DNA damage, but epigenetic changes. This is the result of changes in the "on" and "off" gene readjustment system. Over time, these changes accumulate, disrupting the normal function of cells and reducing their ability to regenerate.
In 2006, Sinya Yamanaka discovered that four genes - Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) - could be reactivated in mature cells to make them embryo-like. This discovery brought the scientist the Nobel Prize. Yamanaka later proved that if only some of the factors are activated and the cell's protein production is controlled, it is possible to rejuvenate the cell without fully transforming it into a root cell. This method is called "epigenetic reprogramming."
Due to the ability of c-Myc to increase oncological risk, CKD factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4) are currently mainly used. In experiments conducted at the Harvard Medical School in 2020, it was shown that the activation of OSC factors in the neurons of the retina of mice can restore the young epigenetic state. As a result, the damaged neuron branches were restored, and the mice's vision improved significantly.
This knowledge became the basis for the ER-100 therapy developed by Life Biosciences. This gene therapy restores only epigenetic parameters by temporarily activating OCK factors in retinal cells, returning the cell to a younger state. Previously, such experiments were conducted on mice, primates, and laboratory models.
This trial promises to open up effective therapeutic possibilities for human health and aging, ushering in a new era in biotechnology and medicine in the future.
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