Life Biosciences Doses First Patient in 18-Adult ER-100 Vision Loss Trial
Updated
Updated · WIRED · Jun 9
Life Biosciences Doses First Patient in 18-Adult ER-100 Vision Loss Trial
3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Jun 9
Summary
Life Biosciences has treated the first participant in a yearlong study of about 18 adults testing ER-100 for glaucoma and NAION, two optic-nerve diseases that can cause age-related sight loss.
ER-100 is designed to rejuvenate damaged optic-nerve cells so they function again, after preclinical work that the company says restored vision in monkeys.
FDA clearance made the study the first human trial of a cellular rejuvenation therapy using this technology, giving researchers an initial test of whether epigenetic restoration can treat disease.
Boston-based Life Biosciences sees the eye program as a lead application for broader age-related conditions, reflecting wider biotech interest in therapies aimed at reversing cellular aging.
If this eye injection proves aging can be reversed, are we ready for a world without natural lifespans?
Scientists are reprogramming human cells to be young again. What stops this from accidentally triggering cancer?
As billionaires fund the quest to reverse aging, will eternal youth become a luxury only the wealthy can afford?
First-in-Human Trial of ER-100: Pioneering Epigenetic Rejuvenation Therapy Targets Age-Related Vision Loss
Overview
Life Biosciences has made a major step in regenerative medicine by dosing the first human in a Phase 1 clinical trial of ER-100, an investigational gene therapy for age-related vision loss. ER-100 targets conditions like open-angle glaucoma and NAION, using the company’s Epigenetic Restoration platform. This platform works by controlling the expression of three key transcription factors—OCT4, SOX2, and KLF4—to rejuvenate damaged cells. The trial, which began in early 2026, aims to test if this innovative approach can safely restore vision by reversing cellular aging, marking a new era in treating age-related diseases.