Therapeutic approaches to treat and prevent age-related diseases through understanding the underlying biological drivers of ageing

Abstract

Demographic shifts in population age pyramids mean that older adults now outnumber young people in many developed nations. Poor health associated with older age presents significant challenges to individuals and societies, not least in spiralling health care costs. Advances in scientific understanding of biological processes that change with age have led to the identification of core hallmarks of ageing, including cell senescence and dysregulated nutrient sensing, that represent new therapeutic targets. Drugs developed to target these hallmarks, such as senolytic and senomodifying agents as well as mTOR inhibitors, have been shown to improve later life health in experimental models. Results from early-stage clinical trials suggest that these therapeutic approaches will be applicable to ageing humans, with significant potential to improve later life health. Investments into effective biomedical interventions targeted to ageing processes are likely to give very high yields, especially since clinical adoption of treatments for (or even prevention of) age-related diseases is possible within the next decade.