Pozzilli, Italy – Researchers at the Mediterranean Neurological Institute are developing a gene therapy based on a specific variant of a gene that has been shown to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health.

As the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases is progressive aging of the population, unraveling the secrets of healthy aging may be the only way to limit cardiovascular disease disabilities, said Annibale Puca, Professor at the University of Salerno.

The study published in The European Heart Journal found that mice given the gene therapy had healthier blood vessels, with fewer blood clots and less inflammation. In addition, the research group confirmed that the amount of the gene variant protein in the blood of patients with cardiovascular disease correlated with how healthy their blood vessels were.

The researchers formed a startup called Longevity One (LGV1) to find funding and partnerships to commercialize this as a gene therapy or recombinant protein. It is projected that this product could reach clinical use in as little as two years.