October 2019 MMTP Update

It has been a while since the last update from MMTP, so we wanted to let you know how things are progressing. 

As we explained in the last update, the internal review board (IRB) has concerns and further questions relating to the ethics of life extension and lifespan studies, and we are continuing to try to resolve these issues in order to be permitted to launch the study. The team has responded to the IRB, and the proposed lifespan study is under review once again.

Unfortunately, until the IRB responds, we cannot say if or when the lifespan study will be approved. This is disappointing news, and it also touches upon a wider issue in Europe, where, currently, high-quality lifespan studies are just not done in relation to life extension, and there is resistance to the idea.

This means it is more important than ever to continue fighting to get this study launched because if we do not keep pushing, no studies will ever be approved in the future, and Europe will not be part of lifespan studies supporting life extension. Therefore, this has become an important fight to change the system, and Dr. Stolzing is working hard to win this fight to open up lifespan studies in Europe that support the development of therapies that target aging.

That is the bad news, but there is also some good news too. While the team has been waiting, it has conducted some useful in vitro testing with a variety of senolytic compounds in various combinations. The team has already prepared the figures and methods and is currently preparing the experimental manuscript prior to submitting its findings for journal publication. The publication process can be time consuming, like many things in science, but the in vitro findings should prove interesting once published. 

We will keep you posted on developments as things change, and, hopefully soon, we will have some more positive news to report.