GLP-1 Drugs May Slow Biological Aging Clocks, Studies Suggest

Research from Novo suggests that the drug significantly slowed biological aging over time. A clock based on heart-related proteins showed a slowdown of up to four years. “I think it’s clear that times are changing for the organ,” said Aguayo-Orozco.

Study Offers New Evidence for Aging Clocks

The research also provides a major boost to the science of biological aging clocks. Although these measurements reflect a person’s age, researchers have not been certain whether they work as true biomarkers of health.

Now, researchers have evidence that when people take a drug with widespread, well-documented effects, their biological age measurements decline as well.

“People have been pushing the clock for 10 years to accomplish this kind of research,” said Yuge Ji, a biologist who previously worked in the field and now runs the startup company Reflector Bio. “That’s a huge deal for them.”

Novo Study Used a Proteomics Aging Clock

As part of the study, Novo collected blood samples from 10,052 people. Half received the drug, while the other half received a placebo. Blood samples taken at the beginning of the study and several months later were analyzed with a “proteomics clock.” This type of aging clock uses levels of key proteins to predict a person’s health status, age and mortality risk.

Eli Lilly Study Found Similar Results

Scientists at Eli Lilly conducted a similar study of the company’s GLP-1 drug tirzepatide. They used an “epigenetic” clock, which assesses biological age by measuring accumulated changes in DNA.

Although Lilly’s study was small, it also found that molecular time moved more slowly in most people taking the drug.

Kevin Duffin, Lilly’s vice president of aging research, said during the conference that “all the watches tell a consistent story that we’re seeing a decline in age.” He added, “It’s not a 30-year age reversal, but it’s a significant decrease.”