Annals of the New York Academy of SciencesSep 9, 2021

Extending healthy life and lifespan: summary of a scientific meeting

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Apr 3, 2026

Abstract

The geroscience hypothesis suggests that aging is malleable and can potentially be targeted to alleviate age-related diseases.

Aging is traditionally viewed as an inevitable process, but the geroscience hypothesis challenges this notion.
Targeting the hallmarks of biological aging may help prevent multiple age-related disorders and extend healthspan.
Significant advancements have been made in understanding the mechanisms of biological aging.
Researchers are exploring both novel agents and repurposed therapies to target aging pathways.
Proof-of-concept studies and early-stage clinical trials are currently assessing the feasibility of drug evaluation for aging-related therapies.

Simplified

For many years, it was believed that the aging process was inevitable and that age-related diseases could not be prevented or reversed. The geroscience hypothesis, however, posits that aging is, in fact, malleable and, by targeting the hallmarks of biological aging, it is indeed possible to alleviate age-related diseases and dysfunction and extend longevity. This field of geroscience thus aims to prevent the development of multiple disorders with age, thereby extending healthspan, with the reduction of morbidity toward the end of life. Experts in the field have made remarkable advancements in understanding the mechanisms underlying biological aging and identified ways to target aging pathways using both novel agents and repurposed therapies. While geroscience researchers currently face significant barriers in bringing therapies through clinical development, proof-of-concept studies, as well as early-stage clinical trials, are underway to assess the feasibility of drug evaluation and lay a regulatory foundation for future FDA approvals in the future.

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Competing interests

Competing interests. A.M.C. is co-funder of Selphagy, a program now under Life Biosciences LLC (MA), and consults for Generian Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. L.J.N. is a founder of NRTK Biosciences. J.C. is a scientific founder and shareholder of Unity Biotechnology, which is developing senolytics to treat age-related diseases. Patents on senolytic drugs and their uses are held by Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota; this research has been reviewed by the Mayo Clinic Conflict of Interest Review Board and was conducted in compliance with Mayo Clinic Conflict of Interest policies.

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Extending healthy life and lifespan: summary of a scientific meeting

Abstract

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Funding

Competing interests

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