Researchers at UT Health San Antonio will receive $38 million in federal funding to study drugs that may have the potential to extend human life span and longevity.<\/p>\n
The university\u2019s Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies announced<\/a> on Tuesday that they had been awarded the grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.<\/p>\n The study will focus on three drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: rapamycin, dapagliflozin and semaglutide. The study will evaluate the repurposing of these medications to delay age-related health and functional decline in healthy adults between ages 60 to 65.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite major advances in the biology of aging, no FDA-approved interventions currently exist to delay the onset of age-related functional decline or preserve health span in otherwise healthy adults,\u201d said Dr. Elena Volpi, the director of the institute and lead author on the study, in a news release.<\/p>\n Rapamycin is an immunosuppressant used to prevent organ transplant rejection. The drug has been shown to extend lifespan<\/a> in animal models. Those findings have fueled interest in potential anti-aging effects in humans, though no clinical trials have yet shown that it prolongs human lifespan.<\/p>\n Dapagliflozin treats Type 2 diabetes, helping to lower blood sugar levels. It\u2019s also used to lower risk of heart failure in people with cardiovascular disease and lower the risk of worsening kidney disease. The drug hasn\u2019t yet been studied as a potential anti-aging medication for the general population.<\/p>\n Semaglutide, sold under brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, is a GLP-1 receptor agonist<\/a> that treats obesity and Type 2 diabetes. More research is showing that the drug and others like it have an array of health benefits<\/a> outside of diabetes and weight management, including reducing cardiovascular risk and improving certain metabolic and inflammatory markers.<\/p>\n Researchers will recruit South Texas residents, home to a demographic makeup that mirrors the projected U.S. population in coming decades, the news release notes.<\/p>\n