Unbinding the Mummies: Human Testing of Rejuvenation Biotechnology Targeting α-Synuclein Begins
Aggregates of the neuronal membrane protein α-synuclein accumulate in the aging brain and are implicated in the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, as well as subtler age-related dysfunction of the autonomic and peripheral nervous system. Preclinical evidence demonstrates that immunotherapeutic clearance of these aggregates in transgenic animals rescues Parkinson’s-like behavioral and cognitive dysfunction. With support from a major Parkinson’s research and advocacy charity, an Austrian biotech firm has advanced a first-in-class rejuvenation biotechnology targeting α-synuclein aggregates into Phase I clinical trials.
