#81

Hi Karl. For what you say, I see that there are some parts of the story that maybe you don’t know, so I will tell you about it. The “substance” was a secret for 3 and half years, until October 2023, when Katcher published an article in the journal Geroscience describing the whole isolation process, so then we learnt that the “substance” was extracellular particles containing small extracellular vesicles from young pigs plasma. Also, when that article was published in 2023, Steve Horvath had already updated his epigenetic age clocks, so the rejuvenation wasn’t of 54% anymore, but of 67%. You say that the company started, and then “it all just falls trough the cracks”. An important fact is that according to Google Patents, the patent wasn’t granted yet. Also, Katcher is 81 years old. So, what happened with the company is plausible. However, I agree that the whole story is odd. At the same time, there are many elements in the story that indicates that it’s possible that those extracellular particles really rejuvenated the rats, including the many scientific articles published by other scientific groups in recent years showing that small extracellular vesicles (even from other species) could rejuvenate mammals. So, it’s precisely the ambiguity of this research that led my wife and I to start this initiative of reproducing the experiment, in a non-profit environment, with total transparency of materials, methods and results, without seeking any intelectual property. We want to know if it’s true, you see? I’m in doubt about the original experiment of Katcher since I read his article for the first time more than 5 years ago. And I’m still in doubt. Our experiment exists precisely because of this doubt.

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#82

Hi Hamtaro. The doubts about Sima experiment are well explained in your post. So, as I just explained to Karl, those doubts are an example of what drives my wife and I to reproduce Katcher’s seminal experiment. I see many people in the rejuvenation field that either think that Katcher’s experiment results are real or think they are not real. I don’t think that those are the only two alternatives. In my case, I’m in doubt, because at the same time that there are strange elements in the story, there are many indications that it’s true. So, I can’t simply continue with this doubt, since if the experiment was valid, the whole world could change. This needs to be clarified as soon as possible.

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#83

@nico_cher You and your wife are doing a courageous scientific experiment. I am interested in seeing your results, and I am sure many people here are too. I wish you all the best and I hope you can beat Sima’s record!

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#84

a new video and interview Nicolás @nico_cher and Nina

The video explores efforts to reproduce pig plasma experiments that claim to reverse aging in rats.

Here are the key points from the video “Reproducing Rejuvenation: Inside the Pig Plasma Longevity Experiments”:

Background and Motivation

  • The video features an interview with Nicolás and Nina from the Rejuvenation Science Institute in Brazil, who are working to reproduce headline-making results from experiments where concentrated plasma fractions from young pigs were injected into aging rats.
  • The original research suggested dramatic rejuvenation effects, including up to 54% epigenetic age reversal in rats, but was based on a small sample and lacked detailed methodology, prompting skepticism and a need for independent replication.
  • The Rejuvenation Science Institute was founded to openly reproduce these experiments and share all results, positive or negative, to advance longevity science. ​⁠

Scientific Rationale

  • The approach is inspired by heterochronic parabiosis (connecting the circulatory systems of young and old animals), which has shown that young blood can rejuvenate older animals.
  • The pig plasma experiments aim to isolate and concentrate youth-promoting factors from young pig blood, then inject them into old rats to see if aging can be reversed at the molecular and functional level.
  • The theory behind the experiments is that aging is regulated by systemic signaling, and that plasma contains factors capable of resetting cellular aging programs. ​⁠

Experimental Details

  • The plasma fraction is prepared by centrifuging pig blood, precipitating extracellular particles, and further purifying them through chromatography and dialysis.
  • Initial safety tests showed no acute toxicity or immune reaction in rats, and the next phase will test for actual rejuvenation effects.
  • The upcoming experiment (scheduled for June 2026) will use 40 rats in four groups (old treated, old control, young treated, young control) and measure epigenetic age, organ function, and behavioral outcomes over several months.
  • If positive results are seen, the team plans to extend the study to longevity experiments and further molecular characterization. ​⁠

Open Science and Collaboration

  • The institute is committed to transparency, publishing all methods and results, and collaborating with other scientists and organizations.
  • Funding is provided through donations and crowdfunding, with a goal of making the research accessible and reproducible by others.
  • The team invites scientists and supporters to visit Brazil and observe the experiments firsthand.

Implications and Cautions

  • If the results are reproducible, it could represent a major breakthrough in aging research, potentially leading to therapies that systemically reduce age-related disease risk.
  • However, the team and other scientists caution that results in rats may not translate directly to humans due to species differences.
  • The ultimate goal is to identify the signaling mechanisms behind rejuvenation, which could allow for synthetic or targeted interventions in the future.
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