Insilico Medicine, a Hong Kong-based company, has reduced a person’s biological age using an experimental drug designed to treat a lung disease. According to a study published in the journal Nature, the AI-designed drug, called rentosertib, significantly reduced biological markers of aging in the body.
At an interim stage of the clinical trial, scientists analyzed data from 42 patients using six different biological clocks. These tools, which monitor chemical changes occurring in the body, consistently detected a decrease in biological age among patients who received the drug. Four weeks after treatment began, patients’ biological age had decreased by as much as six years, while no similar change was observed in the placebo group.
The news had an immediate impact on the stock market, with the company’s share price rising by 10% on Tuesday. Insilico Medicine uses a dual-purpose approach to drug development, aiming to treat specific diseases while also extending lifespan. The drug’s target gene was identified by artificial intelligence through the analysis of vast amounts of data, while its molecular structure was independently designed by AI.
Rentosertib is currently undergoing the final stage of clinical trials in China for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Following the positive results, the company plans to conduct similar analyses on at least half of its drug portfolio. Industry experts suggest that, once the new drug is approved for additional indications, doctors may also prescribe it specifically to address age-related conditions.
“The lower the biological age, the longer the lifespan. This study opens an entirely new perspective for the future development of anti-aging drugs,” says Alex Zhavoronkov, CEO of Insilico Medicine. According to the company’s chief executive, additional follow-up is ongoing to assess the long-term effects, although the results achieved have already begun to establish new standards in the pharmaceutical industry.
