New Anti-Aging Drug Could Improve Seniors’ Immune Systems

A new experimental drug could boost the immune system in older adults by as much as 20 percent, as well as help them to delay other aging effects. In a recent study, more than 200 seniors received either rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, or a placebo over a few weeks, after which they were given a flu shot. Participants who received the experimental version of rapamycin had 20 percent more antibodies to fight the flu, as well as lowered levels of white blood cells linked to age-related immune decline.

Dr. Nir Barzilai, anti-aging expert at the Institute for Aging Research in New York City, said that the study was a “watershed” juncture for anti-aging research. Rapamycin was previously tested and proven successful in counteracting aging effects in mice and other mammals, and this new study is one of the first to prove that rapamycin delays the aging process in humans, too. In addition to aging-related effects (such as diseases), the drug could also improve everything about aging. The researchers hope that the new drug will help them develop immune-boosting drugs for aging people, but more study and clinical tests are required.