Alkahest, a California-based biotech start-up, has just revealed some compelling early results from an ongoing Phase 2 trial into the efficacy of its novel formulation of plasma proteins derived from young blood, developed to slow, or even stop, the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The idea of young blood holding a magical kind of rejuvenating power has been anecdotally shared for centuries. More recently, a company called Ambrosia thrust the idea into mainstream controversy, charging thousands of dollars for young blood transfusions at several clinics around the US before swiftly ceasing operations after the FDA set its sights on the unregulated young blood market.
Alkahest, while essentially working from the same belief in the therapeutic properties of young blood, has trod a more cautious path over the last couple of years, using classical evidence-based science to establish the efficacy of its products. Instead of simply using whole blood, or even whole plasma, Alkahest focuses on highly specific proteins found in young blood plasma.
