ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Libella Gene Therapeutics LLC will conduct an OUS (outside the United States) clinical trial in Cartagena, Colombia, using gene therapy to reverse age-related diseases, starting with Alzheimer’s. Unlike traditional drugs, which tend to be taken for months or years at a time, gene therapy interventions are intended to be one-off treatments that tackle a disease at its source, repairing faulty DNA and allowing the body to fix itself.

Every day 228 Americans die from Alzheimer’s disease, and there is currently no known treatment or cure. Gene therapy offers the ability to permanently correct a disease at its most basic level, the genome, and could offer cures for many conditions that are currently considered incurable. According to Dr. Bill Andrews, the scientist leading the study, “Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is an enzyme whose expression plays a role in cellular aging and is normally repressed in cells, resulting in progressive shortening of telomeres. Telomerase gene therapy in adult and old mice delays aging and increases longevity without increasing cancer.”

By inducing telomerase, Dr. Andrews and Libella Gene Therapeutics hope to lengthen telomeres in the body’s cells. The clinical trial will treat a limited number of patients using the gene therapy treatment, which has been demonstrated as safe, with minimal adverse reactions in over 186 clinical trials.

Dr. Andrews has been featured in Popular Science, on the “Today” show and in numerous documentaries on the topic of life extension. As one of the principal discoverers of both the RNA and protein components of human telomerase, Dr. Andrews was awarded second place as “National Inventor of the Year” in 1997. He earned a Ph.D. in molecular and population genetics at the University of Georgia in 1981. He has served in multiple senior science and technology roles at leading bioscience corporations. Dr. Andrews is a named inventor on over 50 U.S.-issued patents on telomerase and is the author of numerous scientific research studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

On why the company decided to conduct its clinical research project outside the United States, Libella Gene Therapeutics president Dr. Jeff Mathis said, “Traditional clinical trials in the U.S. can take years and millions — or even billions — of dollars. The research and techniques that have been proven to work are ready now. We believe we have the scientist, the technology, the physicians, and the lab partners that are necessary to get this trial done faster in Colombia.”

The clinical trial is prepping to begin in the first quarter of 2018 and will be conducted at MediHelp Services Clinic in beautiful and tourist-friendly Cartagena, Colombia. The state-of-the-art facility has hosted international public figures including athletes, celebrities and politicians. Dr. Javier Hernandez, MediHelp’s medical director, will oversee the trial.

Colombia’s clinical research regulation is friendly to gene therapy trials, with one of the fastest approval times in Latin America for this kind of research. The trial’s clinical study design; regulatory, operation and logistical support; project management; statistical analysis; and study monitoring services will be provided by LATAM Market Access Inc., a Florida-based clinical research company.

About Libella Gene Therapeutics LLC 
With a mission to reverse aging and cure all age-related diseases, starting with Alzheimer’s, Libella Gene Therapeutics has exclusively licensed the AAV Reverse (hTERT) transcriptase enzyme technology from Sierra Sciences and Dr. Bill Andrews. More information at www.libellagenetherapeutics.com.

About LATAM Market Access Inc.
Dedicated to helping innovative life science companies gather cost-effective clinical data at leading research institutions, the company provides clinical study design; regulatory, operational and logistics support; project management; statistical analysis; and study monitoring services. More information at www.latammarketaccess.com.