Early data indicates an AI-generated drug could slow aging

Last year, Insilico Medicine, an AI-driven drug discovery company, conducted a clinical trial demonstrating that its drug candidate, rentosertib, could potentially treat patients with a chronic lung disease. Now, the same trial has revealed that rentosertib might also slow the aging process. The drug's molecular structure was created with the help of AI.

Published in Nature Biotechnology, the study shows that the drug decreased biological age markers using six "aging clocks," AI systems designed to predict a person's morbidity and mortality. This is a crucial step in the endeavor to improve healthcare through AI. Insilico is among various startups, tech companies, and academic institutions harnessing AI for drug discovery and medical tasks.

Recent advancements in aging clocks are expanding these efforts beyond short-term treatments to longevity research. However, the efficacy of these aging clocks is still under debate. While the clinical trial shows promise for AI techniques, rentosertib's regulatory approval and anti-aging effects in healthy patients remain years away.

Eric Topol, a cardiologist and author, finds the drug promising but cautions against definitive conclusions. Insilico has been exploring AI technologies for over a decade, founded by Alex Zhavoronkov in 2014. The company built two AI models: one to analyze health records and patient data, identifying proteins linked to illness; the other to generate new molecules binding to drug targets.

This led to the creation of rentosertib, targeting idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a condition that thickens and scars lung tissue, leading to rapid deterioration and death. The trial showed rentosertib could significantly improve lung capacity in IPF patients. However, the company also aimed to extend patients' lifespans. Six aging clocks were used to measure age markers in the 43 participants, both before and after treatment.

Across all six clocks, there was a significant reduction in predicted age. While the study is not conclusive due to its small sample size and the unreliability of aging clocks, rentosertib could serve as a model for future longevity research.