First clinical evidence GLP-1 drugs slow aging
A study from UC San Diego School of Medicine provides the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical evidence that semaglutide, the widely used GLP-1 drug sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, slows down the accumulation of biological aging markers in DNA. Researchers studied adults with HIV, who often experience accelerated aging even when the virus is well-controlled with antiretroviral therapy.
Calming inflammation to postpone aging
By calming inflammation and reducing excess fat, semaglutide postponed several molecular signs of aging measured by epigenetic clocks. First author Dr. Michael Corley noted that many biological processes studied in HIV are also central to aging in the general population. The Stein Institute for Research on Aging plans to create individualized aging dashboards to help clinicians design personalized therapies targeting the underlying mechanisms of aging.
Ebola concerns in central Africa
US health officials warned that Ebola spread in central Africa could match the 2014 West Africa outbreak, which killed over 11,000 people. The warning comes as a US-run Ebola quarantine center in Kenya faces protests from locals concerned about cross-border infection risks and lack of government transparency. A man was reportedly shot during a protest against the facility.