A groundbreaking study in humans shows that young plasma can modify age-related biological processes.

January 19, 2025

The first in human study in which researchers demonstrate that components in young plasma may be beneficial in addressing aging and age-related disease burden was published earlier this month. Scientists from Stanford's Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine have discovered that young plasma modulates inflammatory and immune responses in an elderly population undergoing major surgery.

There is strong preclinical evidence that young plasma reverses age-related biological processes in aged mice, thereby enhancing the function of multiple organs, including the brain. Although commercialized in the past, the practice of administering young plasma to the elderly for potential health benefits is strongly discouraged in the absence of compelling human data.

“Our study provides compelling first human data indicating that a young plasma protein fraction actively regulates biological processes in the elderly potentially opening new therapeutic avenues for alleviating age-related disease burden and dysfunction”, said principal investigator Dr. Martin Angst.

Key Findings:

  • The administration of a young plasma protein fraction resulted in significant signaling pathway- and cell type-specific anti-inflammatory immune modulation.
  • Young plasma components modulated pathways associated with inflammation, including JAK-STAT, NF-kappa B, and MAPK (p0.001)
  •  These findings were replicated at the cellular level in immune cells that represent the adaptive branch, comprising subsets of T cells.
  • Inflammaging refers to the inflammatory processes that contribute to aging and age-related disease burden. As such, the findings from this study suggest that using components of young plasma may have therapeutic potential for age-related disease burden.

 

Study Design: The study enrolled 38 elderly patients undergoing major joint replacement surgery. Participants were randomized to receive either GRF6021 or a placebo as four separate infusions: one day before surgery, before and after surgery on the day of surgery, and one day postoperatively. Proteomic and immunological analyses were conducted in samples collected before each infusion to evaluate treatment effects.

Clinical Implications: These findings provide a strong rationale for further research into the active components of young plasma and their potential therapeutic applications in age-related pathologies.

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Stanford University School of Medicine and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT 03981419). The results highlight the need for further trials to explore the broader clinical benefits of young plasma-derived therapies.

For more information or to schedule an interview with the researchers, please contact:

Lindsay Blauvelt
Communications Manager
Stanford Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
blauvelt@stanford.edu
(650) 723-6412

Martin Angst, MD

Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine