First Human Age Reversal Trial Set to Begin with Eye Treatment

The quest to reverse human aging is about to take a historic leap from laboratory to clinic. Life Biosciences, a Boston-based startup co-founded by Harvard longevity researcher David Sinclair, has received FDA approval for what may be the first targeted attempt at age reversal in human volunteers.The company's treatment, code-named ER-100, will initially test a radical concept called "cellular reprogramming" on patients with glaucoma. This technique attempts to restore cells to a more youthful state by resetting their epigenetic controls—the molecular switches that determine which genes are active."Reprogramming is like the AI of the bio world. It's the thing everyone is funding," says Karl Pfleger, an investor in the longevity space. The field has indeed attracted hundreds of millions in investment, with Silicon Valley giants like Altos Labs, New Limit, and Retro Biosciences all pursuing similar approaches.The upcoming trial will inject viruses carrying three powerful reprogramming genes into one eye of about a dozen glaucoma patients. To control the process, these genes will only activate when patients take a low dose of the antibiotic doxycycline for approximately two months while effects are monitored.The technology builds on Nobel Prize-winning research showing that certain genes, known as Yamanaka factors, can turn mature cells back into embryonic-like stem cells. However, full reprogramming is dangerous—it can cause tumors in living animals. Life Biosciences is pursuing "partial reprogramming," limiting exposure to these potent genes in hopes of achieving rejuvenation without cellular amnesia.Sinclair's 2020 research suggested this approach could restore vision in mice with damaged optic nerves, even showing evidence of nerve regrowth. The study appeared on Nature's cover under the headline "Turning Back Time."Yet skepticism remains. Critics argue Sinclair has a history of overstating scientific progress, and Life Biosciences has struggled financially since its 2017 founding. The company initially launched multiple subsidiaries targeting different aspects of aging but refocused on the vision treatment after limited progress.The current trial also faces technical challenges. The antibiotic switching mechanism, while proven in lab animals, has never been tested in humans. Since it uses gene components from E. coli and herpes virus, immune reactions are possible. Additionally, Life's chosen reprogramming factors may be riskier than alternatives being developed by competitors."Are their factors the best version of rejuvenation? We don't think they are," says Daniel Ives, CEO of competitor Shift Bioscience. "But they're way ahead of anybody else in terms of getting into humans."While this trial represents a proof of concept rather than an immediate fountain of youth, its implications extend far beyond treating eye disease. If successful, it could validate the broader theory that aging results from accumulated epigenetic damage—potentially opening pathways to whole-body rejuvenation."It'll be the first time in human history, in the millennia of human history, of looking for something that rejuvenates," said Michael Ringel, Life Biosciences' chief operating officer. "So watch this space."This article is based on reporting by MIT Technology Review.