Rubedo has completed its first human clinical trial of RLS-1496 with positive results

Rubedo Life Sciences has just announced positive early results from its first human clinical trial of anti-aging treatment, RLS-1496. The biotech company said the drug worked “even better than should be expected” in the short 4-week trial in Europe. 

RLS-1496 is a potential first-in-class drug that is meant to selectively target zombie or “aged” cells cause skin aging and other diseases associated with biological aging processes. 

In an announcement on Friday, Rubedo said it successfully completed Phase 1 clinical trial for the senotherapeutic drug candidate, which was meant to assess the safety and tolerability of the treatment in human patients. RLS-1496 showed “early signs of efficacy,” it said.

RLS-1496: Why does it matter?

The drug was tested on people with skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and sun-damaged skin. Rubedo said it was well-tolerated with no serious side effects. 

The patients treated with mid- and high-dose saw an overall reduction in those zombie cells. In one month of treatment, 25% of those with eczema saw a significant decline in skin itching. Those with psoriasis saw an average 20% drop in the thickness of their skin. Those with sun-damaged skin saw an increase in collagen gene and protein expression, which are good for skin firmness. 

“We’re pleased by the positive safety and tolerability seen in the trial, with the additional preliminary results exceeding our expectations,” said Frederick Beddingfield, the CEO of Rubedo. “It’s uncommon to see clinical effect in a Phase 1 dermatology study given the shorter study duration and smaller sample size.”

Rubedo is also set to complete its second study of RLS-1496 in the United States later this year, according to the announcement. The study seeks to uncover if RLS-1496 will also help treat precancerous skin spots, also known as actinic keratosis. 

The two trials will cumulate approximately 70 human subjects. Rubedo expects to have even more data by the end of 2026 from these trials to not just fight but also reverse skin aging. 

Longevity startups are making decent progress

The fight against aging is gaining ground. Longevity research is continually moving from mostly theories to clinical trials, with a number of biotech firms noting encouraging results. 

Cryptopolitan recently reported a partnership between Aubrey de Grey’s LEV Foundation and Human Longevity, Inc. Both firms are looking to harness AI to probe into why humans age at different rates by studying the “oldest old.” They believe results from the study could help inform the creation of drugs that can slow down aging. 

Last year, biotech startup NewLimit, which was co-founded by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, successfully developed its first prototype medicine that can restore multiple youthful functions in old human hepatocytes, and overall progress in epigenetic reprogramming.

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