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At the International Longevity Summit in Madrid on 30 September 2026, KHL Foundation co-founders Kenneth Scott and Helga Sands presented updates on experimental gene therapies being explored for age-related decline.
The announcement included an 11-gene treatment incorporating cellular reprogramming factors and a separate three-gene combination that the founders have received themselves.
The foundation argues that longevity research should focus not only on extending lifespan but also on restoring physical and cognitive function in older people. Its approach, called DAMA, stands for Develop, Apply, Monitor and Adapt.
Experimental OSK treatment in humans
According to the foundation, a small number of individuals have received an experimental 11-gene therapy developed through an initiative involving Triple Helix Science and physician Patrick Sewell. The treatment includes OCT4, SOX2 and KLF4, together known as OSK, which are studied for their ability to partially reprogram cells.
One recipient, Christine Scott, received the treatment on 11 March 2026, targeting cognitive function. The foundation says the OSK genes can be activated through a doxycycline regimen. It also suggests these treatments may be among the earliest human applications of OSK, although it has not substantiated an unequivocal worldwide-first claim.
KHL contrasted this initiative with Life Biosciences' ER-100 programme, which targets optic neuropathies. In the Triple Helix initiative, treatment was delivered beneath the oral mucosa, with cognition as the main target.
Partial reprogramming seeks to alter aspects of cellular ageing without completely resetting a cell's identity. The approach has attracted considerable scientific interest, but clinical safety and effectiveness remain open questions. KHL emphasises that its preliminary observations do not show that the treatment reverses cognitive decline.
Founders try a three-gene 'Rejuvenation Cocktail'
KHL also described its Rejuvenation Cocktail, developed with Sewell and Triple Helix Science. It combines Follistatin, Klotho and SIRT1, selected for their relevance to muscle biology, cognition and metabolism.
Scott and Sands were the first two recipients. Over roughly five months, they reported increased muscle strength and lower fasting blood glucose. Sands also reported less bruising, while both said they experienced less jet lag during transatlantic travel.
These accounts are personal observations, not findings from a controlled clinical trial. With only two recipients, it is impossible to establish whether the treatment caused the changes, whether the effects will persist, or what longer-term risks might exist.
A promising question, not a proven answer
The developments highlight the growing interest in translating cellular rejuvenation research into human applications. They also raise important questions about informed consent, independent oversight, rigorous monitoring and the distinction between experimental use and evidence of benefit.
KHL hopes its iterative DAMA process will generate practical insight more quickly for older adults. However, broad claims of age reversal will require reproducible results from carefully designed studies, with clearly reported safety outcomes and meaningful clinical measures.
For now, Madrid 2026 represents a report of early experimentation rather than a validated rejuvenation breakthrough. The central question remains whether interventions that show promise in laboratory and animal research can eventually restore lost human function safely and reliably.
