Old becomes young: A new therapy is being tested in the USA.Image: Shutterstock
June 12, 2026, 5:10 p.mJune 12, 2026, 5:10 p.m
Science has once again come one step closer to the dream of eternal life: In the USA, a patient was given a rejuvenation treatment for the first time. Scientists from the US company Life Biosciences want to reprogram cells in a test subject’s eye so that they behave like younger cells again.
The patient suffers from glaucoma and is now testing whether this can be reversed using this method. “The researchers hope that the proteins encoded by the genes will enable the regeneration of nerve cells in the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain and is damaged in people with glaucoma,” writes the renowned Nature magazine about the method.
The risks are high
So is the immortality pill coming soon? No, we are still a long way from that. However, this case represents an important step towards medical treatment of aging symptoms throughout the body. The first and foremost question is whether this reprogramming occurs without undesirable side effects – such as the formation of cancer cells.
Initial animal tests have not shown such effects, but Matt Kaeberlein, who also researches longevity, warns: “The technology is still in its infancy and the risk of serious side effects is high.” (leo)