Key points from article :
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered molecules that enable cells to repair damaged components.
The research team successfully showed they can protect the worm and human cells from damage.
Professors Einav Gross and Shmuel Ben-Sasson, founded the company Vitalunga to translate it into therapeutics.
Aging leads to the accumulation of defective mitochondria. Mitophagy is the mechanism that removes and replaces them with new ones.
Spermidine gave the researchers some structural clues about effective inducers of mitophagy.
Vitalunga aims to develop mitophagy-activating compounds that rejuvenate cells, and extend lifespan and healthspan in worm models.
It is aiming to select the best drug-candidate over the next three months.
Planning for a pre-IND submission for a clinical trial in aggressive tumor, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)- Phase I/II study in patients.
HCC is considered an orphan disease in west, but in east/sub-sahara the mortality is first or second among all malignancies.
Ben-Sasson hopes to significantly delay the development of many age-related diseases and improve people’ quality of life.
Research by Hebrew University of Jerusalem, led by Einav Gross and Shmuel Ben-Sasson, published in journal Autophagy.
