Title: Canine Aging Research Holds Key to Human Longevity
Dogs, known as man’s best friend, are not only good for their owners’ mental and physical health but also serve as a unique model for understanding human aging. Researchers are working to develop drugs that can extend the lifespan of dogs, with the ultimate goal of benefiting human longevity. Two companies, Loyal and the Dog Aging Project, are leading the charge in this field.
Loyal, a US biotech start-up, is set to launch LOY-002, a daily pill that can give dogs at least one extra year of healthy life. The pill aims to blunt and reverse metabolic changes associated with aging, reducing frailty and increasing insulin sensitivity. Founder and CEO Celine Halioua believes that the research will benefit humans, as dogs share similar age-related diseases and environments with humans.
The Dog Aging Project, a large-scale, longitudinal study, is testing the impact of rapamycin on dogs’ lifespan. Rapamycin, a cheap and easily produced drug, has been shown to increase lifespan and delay age-related disorders in mice. The study, which is being conducted on large animals in a natural environment, suggests that low doses of rapamycin could increase dogs’ lifespan, improving their heart and cognitive functions.
The research is warmly welcomed by the human longevity community, with many scientists believing that the findings could cross over to humans. Prof Tom Rando, director of the University of California’s Broad Stem Cell Research Centre, calls the research “fascinating” and notes that having evidence of efficacy and safety in dogs gives more confidence for conducting human studies.
However, Jamie Justice, adjunct professor in gerontology and geriatric medicine, cautions that without a universally agreed biomarker of aging in humans, it is difficult to test drugs on humans, regardless of their success in dogs. The goal of science now needs to be to agree on the parameters of human aging, making it possible to develop drugs that can be taken to market.
