University of Auckland-led study: Cancer drug boosts lifespan in mice

Findings from a University of Auckland-led trial suggest that treating mice from middle age, or one year, with the drug alpelisib could increase their lifespan by an average 10 per cent, or to around three years. Photo / File

Kiwi scientists appear to have boosted the lifespan of mice using a cancer-targeted drug – but they’re warning people not to try it on themselves.

The just-published findings from a University of Auckland-led trial suggest that treating mice from middle age, or one year, with the drug alpelisib could increase their lifespan by an average 10 percent, or to around three years.

In the Health Research Council-funded study, mice were fed a control diet or the same diet with alpelisib, currently used to treat cancer and sold under the brand name Piqray, among others.

Not only did the mice fed the drug-containing diet live longer, they showed some signs of being healthier in old age such as improved co-ordination and strength.

However, the researchers are cautious about application to humans since the mice treated with the drug also had some negative markers of ageing like lower bone mass.

“Ageing is not only about lifespan but also about quality of life,” study co-author and research fellow Dr Chris Hedges said.

“Therefore, we were pleased to see this drug treatment not only increased longevity of the mice but they also showed many signs of healthier ageing.”

The team was now working to understand how this happened. “We are not suggesting that anyone should go out and take this drug long-term to extend lifespan, as there are some side effects,” principal investigator Associate Professor Troy Merry said.

“However, this work identifies mechanisms crucial to ageing that will be of use in our long-term efforts to increase lifespan and health-span.

“It also suggests a number of possible ways in which shorter-term treatments with this drug could be used to treat certain metabolic health conditions and we are following this up now.”

Alpelisib targeted a specific enzyme called PI 3-kinase.

“We have been working on developing drugs to target PI 3-kinase for more than 20 years as evidence indicated they would be useful to treat cancers as many cancers have an excess activation of this pathway,” co-author Professor Peter Shepherd said.

“Therefore, it’s great to see that these drugs might have uses in other areas and reveal novel mechanisms contributing to age-related diseases.

“It also shows the value of long-term investment in research in areas such as this.”