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Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Circulate Health Publishes Results of Multiomics Study Demonstrating Impact of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange on Biological Age in Aging Cell
First-of-its kind trial shows that therapeutic plasma exchange combined with intravenous immunoglobulin reduced biological age on average by 2.6 years, as measured by multi-omics biomarkers NOVATO, Calif., May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Circulate Health, the company dedicated to harnessing the potential of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) to advance human healthspan and lifespan, today announces the publication of a single blind, human clinical trial in Aging Cell. This groundbreaking study, led by researchers from Circulate and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging provides promising early data on the impact of TPE on biological age, supporting its potential for new disease and longevity applications. 'Unfortunately, most so-called 'longevity interventions' lack proven effectiveness in humans. By conducting clinical trials, we aim to change that—this study marks the first step in demonstrating that plasma exchange can significantly improve key mechanisms of biological aging,' commented Dr. David Furman, senior author of the Aging Cell paper. Therapeutic plasma exchange is a procedure that separates, removes, and replaces patient plasma to treat certain diseases. Multi-omics Analysis Reveals Biomarkers that Contribute to Biological Age Rejuvenation in Response to Therapeutic Plasma Exchange, investigated how TPE impacts biomarkers associated with biological age, including changes across the epigenome, proteome, metabolome, glycome, and immune system, alongside physical measures like balance and strength. Research participants were assigned one of four different treatment groups: 1) biweekly TPE, 2) biweekly TPE with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) 3) monthly TPE or 4) a control group. The study found: 'This is the first interventional multi-omics study to examine the effectiveness of therapeutic plasma exchange modalities,' said Brad Younggren, MD, CEO and Co-founder of Circulate. 'Our findings show that plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulin are a powerful tool for biological age rejuvenation and provide compelling evidence that targeted plasma interventions can impact age-related molecular changes.' 'In this study, we examined thousands of molecular signatures to pinpoint key drivers of rejuvenation. Our characterization builds a better understanding of which baseline biomarkers are predictive of treatment response and lays a foundation upon which we can build personalized intervention plans for patients in the future,' said Eric Verdin, MD, President and CEO of the Buck Institute and Co-founder of Circulate. 'We are excited to expand our research to larger populations, increase access to these treatments for eligible patients, and continue to identify areas of unmet need where these therapies can make a meaningful difference.' Clinicians can learn more about Circulate at About Circulate Health Backed by Khosla Ventures, Circulate Health is pioneering technologies to reverse aging and improve health outcomes. About Buck Institute Our success will ultimately change healthcare. At the Buck, we aim to end the threat of age-related diseases for this and future generations by bringing together the most capable and passionate scientists from a broad range of disciplines to identify and impede the ways in which we age. An independent, nonprofit institution, our goal is to increase human healthspan, or the healthy years of life. Globally recognized as the pioneer and leader in efforts to target aging, the number one risk factor serious diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, macular degeneration, heart disease, and diabetes, the Buck wants to help people live better longer. Learn more at: View original content: SOURCE Circulate Health
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Could Plasma Exchange Therapy Actually Help You Live Longer?
Cars need oil changes to keep their engines running smoothly. Some anti-aging influencers, along with a handful of scientists, believe exchanging the plasma in your blood can do a similar thing for humans to help slow biological aging. The procedure is currently offered for thousands of dollars a session at many longevity clinics. In a car, 'you change the oil every 3,000 miles because it clears out debris," said Dr. Eric Verdin, the president and chief executive of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Your blood, he said, can also accumulate potentially damaging particles that can be flushed out. One of the first trials examining plasma exchange for anti-aging in humans, published Tuesday in the journal Aging Cell, offers early evidence that it may be able to slow the biological breakdown that comes with age, even in otherwise healthy people. The small study of 42 participants, with an average age of 65, found that those who got plasma exchange therapy over the course of a few months had lower concentrations in their blood of the biological compounds that accumulate with age, compared with a control group. The trial was sponsored by Circulate Health, a plasma exchange startup, and coauthored by Dr. Verdin, a company co-founder and head of the scientific advisory board. Still, many other scientists who study plasma exchange are skeptical. Its anti-aging benefits for healthy people have 'never been proven" in large clinical trials, said Dr. Katayoun Fomani, an associate professor and medical director of the blood bank at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and drawing blood and replacing plasma with added fluids could put patients at risk for unnecessary medical complications without a clear payoff. How does the procedure work? Plasma exchange is a well-established treatment for certain blood disorders, autoimmune diseases and neurological conditions, and it's typically covered by insurance when deemed medically necessary. It is not covered for anti-aging purposes. During the therapy, a provider — typically a registered nurse or a technician — hooks the patient up to a machine that draws out blood. The machine separates and discards the plasma from the blood, replaces it with donor plasma or a substitute fluid, then returns the blood back to the patient. The substitute fluid often contains a mixture of saline and proteins, like albumin; in some cases, an infusion of antibodies or drugs may also be added to boost the immune system or fight certain diseases. Each session typically takes a couple of hours. Hospitals and medical centers use plasma exchange to remove particles that hasten a disease's progression, such as the antibodies that attack a patient's nervous system in multiple sclerosis. But proponents of the procedure for improving health span and life span say it can be used as a preventive measure, to remove the inflammatory antibodies and proteins that may drive biological aging (the deterioration of cells and tissues). Plasma therapy is one of several different experimental longevity procedures that involve blood transfers, including platelet-rich plasma treatment, which concentrates and injects a patient's own blood into injured areas; and a treatment where a young donor's blood is transfused into an older recipient. What does the science show? Most of the research into the anti-aging benefits of plasma exchange has been done on animals, so the findings don't necessarily carry over to humans, said Dr. Caroline Alquist, the co-director of the Hoxworth Blood Center at the University of Cincinnati. One 2020 study on mice, for instance, found that replacing some of the animals' blood plasma with saline and albumin, a protein believed to bind to and help remove harmful molecules, appeared to reverse biological markers of aging, especially within the brain, liver and muscle tissues. Until now, the research in humans has focused on patients who already have an age-related disease. In one trial of nearly 350 Alzheimer's patients, those undergoing plasma therapy over about 14 months saw slower or more stable cognitive decline than those who received a placebo treatment. Some early studies also suggest that plasma therapy may improve survival rates for people with liver disease. In the Circulate Health trial, one group of subjects received an albumin infusion every few weeks or so; another group got the same infusion plus an antibody to fight infections; and a control group got only saline. Researchers used dozens of biological age tests to measure subjects' blood several times during the full three-to-six-month regimen. They estimated that the albumin and antibody group decreased their biological age by about 2.6 years, while those on the albumin regimen saw a roughly one-year reduction. People who received only saline generally saw their biological age increase over the course of the trial. What are the open questions? While the Circulate Health study is 'intriguing,' and suggests that plasma exchange appears to affect subjects' blood composition even after the procedure, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will help people live longer or healthier, said Dr. Jeffrey Winters, the chair of transfusion medicine at the Mayo Clinic. He said the trial was too small to prove anti-aging benefits; it also didn't follow subjects for more than a few months, so it's not clear how long the effects of plasma exchange last. In the study, the authors hypothesized that treatments could get less effective over time as the body adjusts to the infusions. (The subjects typically didn't show much difference in biological age after the third measurement, compared with the control, suggesting that the impact of the therapy could level off.) It's also not clear if the findings are a direct result of the treatment or if they were influenced by some other confounding factor, like the profile of the subjects, who were healthy patients in the Bay Area and recruited by Circulate Health, added Dr. Zbigniew M. Szczepiorkowski, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Dartmouth Health. Finally, while plasma exchange is a relatively safe medical procedure, it does bring risks, Dr. Winters said: The machine could fail, damaging red blood cells and inducing anemia in the patient, among other hazards. Though longevity clinics primarily use saline and albumin, donor plasma could also carry an infection over to the patient. 'Especially given the absence of evidence in the literature,' Dr. Winters said, the benefit for using plasma exchange for longevity 'really isn't there.'
Irish Times
09-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Rory McIlroy-backed Whoop unveils updated sensors
Wearable technology company Whoop has unveiled two wearables with advanced capabilities that include blood pressure monitoring and medical ECG. The two new sensors, Whoop 5.0 and Whoop Medical Grade (MG) are smaller but include more technology and are more power efficient, with enhanced sensors that capture information 26 times per second. The medical grade Whoop has built in a new ECG feature that can detect signs of atrial fibrillation and notify wearers of irregular heart rhythms. It also includes a blood pressure monitoring technology, with estimated systolic and diastolic readings that are calibrated with initial readings from a blood pressure cuff. 'We've taken everything we've learned over the past decade and built a platform to help our members perform and live at their peak for longer,' said Will Ahmed, Whoop founder and chief executive. 'We've held nothing back.' READ MORE Both sensors have also improved battery life, with Whoop promising around 14 days per charge, and a new wireless power pack that will extend that to a month. Whoop has also updated its app, introducing the company has introduced new features such as healthspan, which quantifies physical age and gives you an indication of your pace of ageing. The measurement, which was developed in partnership with Dr Eric Verdin, chief executive of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, calculates the wearer's Whoop Age and pace of ageing through nine different metrics. 'We have more advanced capabilities,' explained Whoop vice-president of performance Dr Kristen Holmes. 'we'll still monitor your cardiovascular strain and your musculoskeletal load, we introduced VO2 Max recently, and now we have hormonal insights, more robust cycle tracking, tracking as well as pregnancy. Overall, it is a more robust offering.' Whoop is backed by golfer Rory McIlroy, who also acts as an ambassador for the company, and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. 'I've been wearing Whoop for six years now, you know when you're doing the right things and you know when you're not,' Mr McIlroy said. 'I think that's getting into healthspan and being your own health advocate and having tools like Whoop to help you on that journey.' The company has also introduced three new membership tiers to accompany the sensors, including Whoop One, which brings fitness insights for €199 per year; Whoop Peak which adds advanced health, fitness and longevity insights for €264 per year; and Whoop Life, which comes with medical-grade health and performance insights for €399 per year.
Arabian Business
09-05-2025
- Health
- Arabian Business
WHOOP launches new devices in GCC with medical-grade features, longevity focus
WHOOP has launched its first new wearable devices in four years, unveiling the WHOOP 5.0 and WHOOP MG, as part of a broader push into medical-grade consumer health monitoring. The company also introduced new software features and pricing tiers, underscoring its ambition to move beyond fitness tracking into the medical wearables space. The devices, which are now available globally, include features such as an FDA-cleared electrocardiogram (ECG), blood pressure estimates, hormonal health insights, and a redesigned recovery and sleep algorithm. The wearables also introduce 'WHOOP Age' and 'Pace of Aging,' a new metric developed in partnership with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging to track physiological age and long-term health trends. 'This is a shift from passive tracking to active health transformation,' said WHOOP founder and CEO Will Ahmed. 'We've built a platform focused on performance, longevity, and daily decision-making.' WHOOP MG, the higher-tier device, includes an ECG clasp that allows users to take medical-grade heart readings from home. The brand claims it is the first wearable to estimate systolic and diastolic blood pressure daily, although this remains a patent-pending feature rather than an FDA-approved one. The company also launched three new membership tiers – WHOOP One, Peak, and Life – ranging from AED 699 to AED 1,379 annually in the UAE. The devices are available now at the website. Focus on GCC market The brand is scaling up its regional presence amid strong uptake in the GCC, which the company says is its fastest-growing market. The brand has brought on Dubai-based entrepreneur and influencer Karen Wazen as a global ambassador, joining footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who is also an investor in the company. Ronaldo, commenting on the launch, said, 'WHOOP is like a doctor on my wrist. It allows me to monitor my behaviour easily and shows that consistency and prioritising health are worth it.' In a regional data snapshot shared by the company, GCC cities, including Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, and Sharjah, were listed among the bottom six globally for average sleep duration and performance. UAE-based users averaged a sleep performance score of just 74 per cent, according to internal company data. Hardware and design The WHOOP 5.0 and MG are 7 per cent smaller than the previous generation, with a battery life of over 14 days. The upgraded sensors now capture over 27 data points per second. The company is also offering a new line of accessories, including Italian leather bands under the 'LeatherLuxe' label. The devices continue the company's approach of screenless, 24/7 wearables intended to be worn on multiple body locations, including integrated apparel via WHOOP Body and AnyWear™ technology. Expansion plans The company will soon introduce WHOOP Advanced Labs, a feature that allows users to schedule blood tests and integrate clinician-reviewed reports directly into the app. This feature is not yet live but will be available via a waitlist. The company has not disclosed the number of users in the GCC but said it anticipates 'significant growth' in markets like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where wellness, performance, and preventative health are rapidly growing segments.
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
The Ovary Time Machine: A Billion-Dollar Opportunity In Women's Health
By Samantha Walravens Dr. Francesca Duncan, Professor in Residence at the Buck Institute Dr. Francesca Duncan's pioneering work at the Buck Institute reveals why reproductive aging matters for business and society In the fast-evolving landscape of longevity science, one researcher has made a discovery that could fundamentally alter how we think about women's health, productivity, and the economics of aging. Dr. Francesca Duncan, Thomas J. Watkins Memorial Professor of Reproductive Science at Northwestern University and Associate Professor in Residence at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, has identified a mechanism of reproductive aging that could lead to multibillion-dollar advancements in women's health. "The female reproductive system is one of the first to show overt signs of aging in the human body," explains Dr. Duncan. While most organ systems begin deteriorating in our 60s or 70s, women's ovaries start declining in their mid-30s, with reproductive function ceasing entirely at menopause, typically around age 50. This timing creates a critical disconnect in modern society. "Due to medical and health advances, women are living longer than ever before," Dr. Duncan notes. 'For women, however, this is especially problematic because the time of menopause has stayed constant. Thus, women are living longer post-menopause in an altered endocrine milieu.' The breakthrough began with a simple observation in the laboratory. When isolating eggs from ovaries, Dr. Duncan's team noticed that tissues from older animals were physically tougher to work with. This "happy accident" led to a critical realization: aging ovaries develop inflammation and fibrosis—essentially internal scarring—that makes the tissue physically stiffer. "By serendipity we discovered the importance of the microenvironment in which the egg develops and how that may be contributing to ovarian aging," says Dr. Duncan. "The aging ovary assumes a proinflammatory and fibrotic phenotype that leads to a stiffer microenvironment." This finding has significant implications for ovarian function. The research demonstrates that a fibrotic, stiff ovary can negatively impact follicle development, egg quality, and ovulation—all crucial factors for both fertility and hormone production. For business leaders and investors, this research presents compelling opportunities. The implications extend far beyond family planning into workforce productivity, healthcare costs, and market development: 1. Workforce Retention and Development: As women increasingly occupy senior leadership positions, the menopausal transition often coincides with critical career advancement years. Extending ovarian function could help businesses retain experienced female talent during their most productive years. 2. Healthcare Economics: Women live longer than men on average, but as Dr. Duncan points out, "There is a longevity paradox because women spend more time in frailty and poor health relative to men." Maintaining ovarian function could reduce healthcare costs associated with conditions linked to estrogen decline, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cognitive impairment. 3. Diagnostic Technologies: Dr. Duncan's team is developing ultrasound-based Shear Wave Elastography to measure ovarian stiffness non-invasively. "Currently this is done by transvaginal ultrasound which is a minimally invasive method, but we hope as the technology of wearable ultrasound patches advances, we will move towards a wearable for continuous and real-time ovarian health tracking," she explains. This represents a potentially significant new market in women's health diagnostics. The potential market for therapeutics targeting ovarian fibrosis is substantial. In pre-clinical studies, Dr. Duncan's team has demonstrated that low-dose anti-fibrotic drugs can extend ovarian function and reproductive longevity. "Through pre-clinical pipelines, we have demonstrated the therapeutic value of using pharmacologic interventions with low-dose anti-fibrotics to extend ovarian function and reproductive longevity," Dr. Duncan explains. 'This work lays the foundation for identifying additional anti-fibrotic drug targets and performing clinical trials in women.' Unlike hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which Dr. Duncan notes "does not encompass all ovarian hormones nor does it recapitulate the complex and dynamic physiology of normal ovarian cycles," these therapeutics aim to maintain comprehensive ovarian function, addressing both fertility and endocrine health. The business implications of this research extend globally. "First, global fertility rates are at an all-time low," Dr. Duncan points out. 'This is compounded by the fact that women are delaying childbearing and being confronted with the tangible consequences of reproductive aging.' This demographic shift creates markets not only in the United States but worldwide, as countries from Japan to Italy grapple with declining birth rates and aging populations. Dr. Duncan's work aligns perfectly with the Buck Institute's mission to extend healthspan—the period of life spent in good health. As Eric Verdin, CEO of the Buck Institute, has emphasized, community connection and sense of purpose are among the top drivers of healthspan. Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Marin County, California "Improving healthspan for women through sustained ovarian function will allow them to take full advantage of community and social connections which will feed forward and further promote healthy aging and longevity," says Dr. Duncan. For investors and business strategists, the timeline for these innovations is promising. "It is exhilarating to be able to translate our findings from bench-to-bedside in less than a decade," says Dr. Duncan. With clinical applications potentially available within a decade, this represents one of the most promising near-term opportunities in longevity science. Dr. Duncan's research exemplifies how fundamental science can address pressing societal challenges while creating substantial business opportunities. By tackling one of the first and most consequential aging processes—ovarian aging—her work could help realign women's biological clocks with their chronological lifespans, benefiting half the world's population and transforming multiple industries in the process. "As a society, we have accepted the challenge of living longer," Dr. Duncan concludes. "These clocks need to be reset and realigned to ensure healthy aging in women—half the world's population who are essential for the continuity of our species."
