Glaucoma in mice reversed with two months of OSK

What's the news: OSK gene therapy reverses glaucoma in mice after just two months of treatment.

Why should we believe it: This news is based on a new study published earlier this week by scientists from Life Biosciences and Harvard Medical School, including Harvard's longevity research celebrity, Dr. David Sinclair.

The scientists in this study treated mice that had glaucoma, and applied OSK gene therapy, a subset of the Yamanaka reprogramming that reverts cells to an earlier state. Result:

• Two months of OSK fully restored impaired vision

• After treatment, results gradually diminished but remained better than baseline

• There were no negative side-effects after one year

Why this is a big deal: This study is a new demonstration of OSK reprogramming, one of the most promising rejuvenation therapies out there. The OSK technique promises dramatic tissue-specific rejuvenation, quickly, and without any apparent side effects.

So what's next: Sinclair et al. have already used OSK reprogramming to reverse other types of eye damage in mice as well as monkeys. They seem to be chipping away at making OSK reprogramming a generally useful rejuvenation therapy in the lab, ready for clinical human testing for a specific condition. And as Sinclair has stated before, such human tests might be coming up as soon as next year.