Culture 2 min read

Company Charges People $1 Million for Reverse Aging Clinical Trial

Evgeny Atamanenko / Shutterstock.com

Evgeny Atamanenko / Shutterstock.com

Are you willing to pay a million dollars to participate in a reverse aging clinical trial?

For almost as long as man has existed, we’ve sought a recipe to reverse aging. In the early years, it involved finding the mythical elixir of life.

During the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang sent Taoist alchemist, Xu Fu to find the elixir, but he never returned. While we’ve come a long way since the Qin dynasty, the goal has remained the same.

Thanks to technological advancements, the anti-aging industry has become more prominent than ever. From the transfusion of blood from young donors to technological singularity, we now seek various ways to leave forever.

Now, Libella Gene Therapeutics is about to test a treatment.

The Kansas-based company is charging volunteers $1 million to take part in a reverse aging clinical trial. Participants would have to travel to Cartagena, Colombia, to help the company avoid the cost of clinical trials in the United States.

According to the company, the one-off gene therapy treatment should attack the problem at the source: the telomeres.

Lengthening Telomeres to Reverse Aging

The technology involves lengthening the telomeres – the structures at the end of chromosomes.

Telomeres protect DNA during cell division. However, part of the telomere becomes lost every time a cell divides. Eventually, the chromosome component becomes too short, and the cell dies.

Libella’s technology essentially rebuilds the end of telomeres using an enzyme called Telomerase, hence reversing the aging process. Also, the treatment could potentially treat other diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.

In a statement to the press, CEO of Libella Gene Therapeutics, Jeff Mathis said:

“I know what we’re trying to do sounds like science fiction, but I believe it’s a science reality.”

The idea of lengthening telomeres to reverse aging is not entirely new.

In 2017, researchers from the University of Exeter acknowledged the impact of lengthening telomeres in aging. And they explored how Reversatrol, a chemical-based substance found in red wine, could aid the process.

But, not everyone agrees that lengthening telomeres play a significant role in the aging process. For example, a study from the University of Utah remains inconclusive on whether shorter telomeres were a sign of aging or a contributor to the process.

Read More: Top PepsiCo Exec Wants You to Live Forever

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Sumbo Bello

Sumbo Bello is a creative writer who enjoys creating data-driven content for news sites. In his spare time, he plays basketball and listens to Coldplay.

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