On June 17, 2015, Nature Journal spotlighted the Targeting Aging with Metformin, TAME, Trial led by Deputy Scientific Director Dr. Nir Barzilai, planning process facilitated by AFAR.
On June 24th, Dr. Barzilai will be leading a group meeting with the FDA to make the case for a clinical trial testing aging as an indication. The goal of such a trial is to prove that targeting aging can be an effective method of delaying the onset of aging related diseases (http://www.afar.org/aging-and-disease), including cancer, heart disease, and cognitive impairment. According to AFAR’s executive director, Stephanie Lederman, “The perception is that we are all looking for a fountain of youth, we want to avoid that; what we’re trying to do is increase health span, not look for eternal life.”
The article, which also featured insight from two-time grantee Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, can be viewed here (http://www.nature.com/news/anti-ageing-pill-pushed-as-bona-fide-drug-1.17769).
This story has also been picked up by lifestyle blog Refinery29 (http://www.refinery29.com/2015/06/89444/anti-aging-drug) and the Nigerian news source AllAfrica (http://allafrica.com/stories/201506190126.html).
Nir Barzilai, MD, (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/faculty/484/nir-barzilai/) is a Professor in the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Departments of Medicine and Genetics, the Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair in Aging Research, and the Director of the college’s Institute for Aging Research.
Matt Kaeberlein, PhD (http://kaeberleinlab.org/people/matt-kaeberlein), is an Associate Professor at the University of Washington.
For over 30 years, AFAR has supported 3000 investigators at more than 500 leading institutions nationwide through over $147 million in grant awards--all to advance research that will extend healthspan, the time we are in optimal health as we age. Learn more about our commitment to improving healthspan here (http://www.afar.org/impact).
