The longevity drug IU1 has shown promising results in its first two phases of testing.
According to SciTech Daily, a research team led by Professor Seogang Hyun from Chung-Ang University (South Korea) has developed a drug that slows down aging and minimizes its effects on the human body, thereby helping to extend lifespan.
The drug is named IU1 and is capable of preventing the disruption of the proteostasis mechanism.
The new drug from South Korea promises to extend lifespan and promote healthier aging for users – (Illustrative Image: ANH THƯ).
According to a publication in the scientific journal Autophagy, while aging leads to a gradual decline of all systems in the body, one of the main contributing factors is the disruption of protein balance systems, also known as proteostasis.
Proteostasis is the process by which the body self-monitors, identifies damaged or misfolded proteins, and breaks them down.
This process helps prevent the accumulation of faulty proteins, which can stress the cells.
As we age, the quality control systems for proteins become less effective, leading to the accumulation of faulty proteins and facilitating various age-related degenerative diseases and chronic conditions.
Therefore, preventing the disruption of proteostasis systems is key to increasing lifespan and improving the quality of life for the elderly.
Professor Hyun’s team targeted two proteostasis systems known as proteasome and autophagy and discovered an intriguing compound that can help these two systems maintain their effectiveness in older adults.
As a result, they developed the drug named IU1.
Recently, the research team tested this new longevity drug on fruit flies and human cells. Both experiments were successful.
In addition to extending lifespan, this drug also promises to become an effective tool to combat chronic diseases associated with ineffective proteostasis processes, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
