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UK-based biotech company Genflow Biosciences says its experimental gene therapy has slowed signs of biological ageing in older dogs. In its SLAB (Sarcopenia and Longevity in Aged Beagles) trial, treated dogs had a lower biological age than untreated dogs, as measured by the GRIM DNA methylation clock, meeting the study's main goal.
The therapy, GF-1002, delivers a version of the SIRT6 gene found in some centenarians. SIRT6 helps cells repair DNA and regulate metabolism, and its activity tends to decline with age. The randomised, blinded trial included 24 beagles over 10 years old, split into four groups: two given the gene as naked DNA at different doses, one given a single dose using a viral vector (AAV8), and one given a saline placebo.
Genflow reported positive interim results on muscle in February, and said safety and benefits held up at a three-month follow-up in April. The company also reports improvements in several functional measures, although it has not yet released the figures. "Meeting the primary endpoint in SLAB is a defining milestone for Genflow," said chief executive Eric Leire.
The results come from a company announcement and have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. With only 24 dogs and the full data still to come, it is too early to say how much the therapy helps, or whether it would work in people. Genflow plans to present the full dataset at the Animal Longevity Summit in Toronto and is in talks with animal health companies about bringing the treatment to market for dogs.
