Juntendo University and others to submit internal application for clinical research to remove "senescent cells" with drugs

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

「老化細胞」を薬で取り除く臨床研究 順天堂大など学内申請へ

2024年10月10日 22時04分

年をとると蓄積し、体の衰えにつながるとされる「老化細胞」を薬を使って取り除こうという国内初の臨床研究の実施を、順天堂大学などのグループが来週にも学内の倫理委員会に申請する方針を固めたことが分かりました。来年度中に最初の患者への薬の投与を始めたいとしています。

老化細胞は分裂を繰り返したり、遺伝子の損傷が積み重なったりして増えなくなった細胞で、加齢に伴って蓄積し体の衰えや糖尿病などの病気につながるとされています。

順天堂大学の南野徹教授らのグループは、糖尿病の治療薬「SGLT2阻害薬」を使って老化細胞を取り除く動物実験に成功したと5月に発表していて、人での効果を確かめる臨床研究を行うため、来週にも学内の倫理委員会に申請する方針を固めたことが分かりました。

計画では、65歳以上の糖尿病などの患者50人をこの薬を投与するグループとしないグループに分け、安全性に加え細胞の遺伝子の損傷の状況を調べて老化の程度に差が出るか確認するということです。

順調に進めば、来年度中に最初の患者への投与を始めたいとしています。

老化細胞をめぐっては、2011年にこの細胞を取り除いたマウスで加齢に伴う症状に効果があったという実験結果がアメリカから報告されて以降、細胞レベルでの若返りを目指した研究が国内外で進んでいます。

南野教授は「健康寿命を延ばすという目標に向けて安全性に気をつけながら研究を進めたい」と話していました。

Translation

Juntendo University and others to submit internal application for clinical research to remove "senescent cells" with drugs

It was learned that a group including Juntendo University had decided to apply to the university's ethics committee as early as next week for the first clinical research in Japan to use drugs to remove "senescent cells," which were believed to accumulate with age and led to physical deterioration. They hoped to start administering the drug to the first patients within the next fiscal year.

Senescent cells divided repeatedly, there were cells that had stopped multiplying due to repeated division or accumulated genetic damage, and were said to accumulate with age and lead to physical deterioration and diseases such as diabetes.

In May, a group led by Professor Toru Minamino (南野徹) of Juntendo University announced that they had succeeded in animal experiments to remove senescent cells using the diabetes treatment drug "SGLT2 inhibitor," and it was learned that they had decided to apply to the university's ethics committee as early as next week to conduct clinical research to confirm its effectiveness in human.

The plan was to divide 50 patients aged 65 or over with diabetes and other conditions into two groups, one to receive the drug and one not, and to examine the safety of the drug as well as the state of genetic damage in the cells to see if there was any difference in the degree of aging.

If all went well, they hoped to start administering the drug to the first patient within next fiscal year.

About senescent cells, since experimental results from the United States were reported in 2011 showing that removing senescent cells influenced symptoms associated with aging in mice, research aimed at rejuvenating them at the cellular level had been progressing both in Japan and abroad.

Professor Minamino said, "I want to continue my research while paying close attention to safety, with the goal of extending healthy lifespan."

              So, a Japanese University has decided to start the first clinical research in using drugs to remove "senescent cells" which are believed to accumulate with age and lead to physical deterioration. I think if this trial is successful, it will be a milestone in the treatment of aging.