Drug Combination Extends Fruit Flies' Lives by 48%

In a breakthrough study from the University College London’s Institute of Healthy Aging, a team of researchers has discovered a combination of drugs that radically extends the lives of fruit flies. The pharmaceutical cocktail, administered in the form of a 'polypill' containing the drugs lithium, trametinib and rapamycin, extends the lifespans of the insects by 48%.

Professor Dame Linda Partridge, co-author of the study, predicts the research could pioneer new ways to improve public health and address the physiological complications associated with ageing. While Partridge asserts the goal is not to unlock the secrets of immortality, she does maintain the findings could offer new insight into the mechanisms of the aging process and help develop new healthcare solutions for seniors.

“We are not trying to cheat death, but help people be healthy and disease-free in their final years,” explains Linda Partridge, a professor at University College London’s Institute of Healthy Aging.

A potent cocktail of lithium, trametinib and rapamycin

The trio of drugs were carefully selected by the team for their unique properties. Lithium is a mood stabiliser used to treat bipolar disorder, trametinib is a cancer treatment drug that inhibits MEK1 and MEK2, while rapamycin is an immune regulator that's often used to prevent organ transplant rejection. All target different cellular processes and according to Partridge, had a "remarkable" impact on the lifespan of fruit flies when combined.

Co-leader of the study Jorge Castillo-Quan says the polypill "may be an effective way to slow down the aging process" and help prevent the onset of age-related diseases. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, with the team explaining how each drug extended lifespans by around 11% when administered individually. When combined, the cocktail offered an impressive 48% increase.

Advancing from fruit flies to human trials

Next, the team plan to test the effects of the polypill on more complex animals such as mice, which should offer more insight into how the drugs work together to extend the lifespan of fruit flies. Eventually, the team hop to progress to human trials.

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