Results From a Small, Informal Trial of Telomerase and Klotho Gene Therapy for Alzheimer ' s Disease

Bioviva was at one point developing telomerase gene therapies, work that has transitioned into the medical tourism industry via Integrated Health Systems rather than proceeding towards regulatory approval. The institutional communities of science and funding strongly disapproved of the self-experiment undertaken by the Bioviva founder, and the way that self-experiment was popularized in order to build the company. I think this a pity, given the long history of self-experimentation by noted figures in the scientific community. Nonetheless, we live in an era that frowns upon self-experimentation as a part of the path to progress, and applies very high standards to those who attempt it. The gene therapies that Bioviva worked upon, and Integrated Health Systems now sells to well-to-do medical tourists, involve localized injection of AAV vectors to upregulate expression of telomerase. Intravenous injection of large amounts of AAV, in order to reach much of the body in adults, is coming to be looked upon with disfavor in the investment, regulatory, and development communities. This is based on liver toxicity and a few patient deaths at the high doses needed for that mode of administration. Localized injections can use a small fraction of the intravenous injection amount, avoiding issues of toxicity, but are unfortunately still a one-time treatment at present: the immune system will remember the AAV vector used, and clear it next time. Some groups such as Selecta Biosciences ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs