Mountain View startup targets skin aging

Rubedo Life Sciences, based in Mountain View, California, is testing an experimental topical cream designed to slow visible signs of aging by targeting senescent cells.

What are senescent cells

Senescent or zombie cells are damaged cells that stop dividing but do not die. They accumulate with age and release substances causing inflammation and tissue damage that contributes to disease.

Early trial shows two year reversal

In a small trial of eleven people with atopic dermatitis, participants using the cream for four weeks reduced their skin's biological age by about two years on average.

One person saw eleven year reduction

One trial participant had a reduction of more than eleven years in skin age. Rubedo also found a ten percent increase in collagen associated with skin elasticity and structure.

How the drug targets zombie cells

Rubedo's cream targets a protein called GPX four, a gatekeeper for cell survival. By turning off GPX four, the drug makes senescent cells more susceptible to ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death.

Experts warn about aging clock limits

Eric Verdin, president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, says there are many aging clocks and their measurements should be viewed with circumspection about what they really measure.

“I would probably be a little circumspect about what these clocks really measure, because right now, there are a proliferation of them.”

Results must show in real skin

Dermatologist Anthony Rossi at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says the work is early-stage and it will be interesting to see how it affects healthy skin, not just skin conditions.

“The best anti-aging routine right now is sleep, a good diet, and exercise.”