TERT gene therapy

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is the catalytic subunit of telomerase; its somatic expression is repressed in most adult human tissues, leading to progressive telomere shortening with each cell division. AAV-delivered TERT transgenes have extended median lifespan, delayed frailty, and improved metabolic and neuromuscular phenotypes in middle-aged and old mice in work from the Blasco laboratory, with a single administration showing lasting effects without elevated cancer incidence in the mouse models studied. Human longevity application remains preclinical; the concern that telomerase activation could promote tumour growth by enabling unlimited replicative capacity in cells harbouring oncogenic mutations is a central safety caveat that has not been resolved in human data. Self-administered TERT gene therapy by individuals outside regulated trials (reported in the context of BioViva/Andrews) lacks peer-reviewed safety or efficacy evaluation and represents an extreme scientific and safety risk.