‘Dream come true’ drug could make women fertile for an extra 5 years and help them live 14% longer, scientists say
AN already-existent pill could make women fertile for an extra five years and help them live longer, scientists say.
Researchers from Columbia University said early findings from their drug trials were like "a dream come true".
The study tested whether the immunosuppressant rapamycin could help slow ovary ageing, thus delaying menopause and extending fertility.
Researchers also sought to measure whether the drug could slash the risk of age-related diseases.
At present, 34 women aged up to 35 have participated in the research, known as The Validating Benefits of Rapamycin for Reproductive Aging Treatment (Vibrant) study.
Experts hope more than 1,000 women will go on to join.
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Yousin Suh, a professor of reproductive sciences, genetics and development at Columbia University who co-lead the study, said rapamycin could slow ovary ageing by 20 per cent without causing side effects.
The drug can bring on up to 44 side effects, from mild nausea and headaches to high blood pressure and infections.
But study participants reported having better memory and energy levels and said the quality of their skin and hair had improved, as per .
Prof Suh said: “The results of this study – the first in human history – are very, very exciting.
"It means that those with age-related fertility problems now have hope when before, they didn’t.
“These early results mean we now have a clear shot at our ultimate goal: using rapamycin to extend the lifespan of the ovary and thereby delaying the menopause, while also extending the lifespan of the woman and improving her health and quality of life."
“These results are like a dream come true.”
Participants were given 5mg of rapamycin a week for three months, a much smaller dose to the 13mg a day transplant patients may be prescribed for years.
While previous research has targeted menopause symptoms, this is the first to try and address ovarian ageing, which according to Prof Suh is a "fundamental driver of ageing in women".
She said HRT can act as a sticking plaster for ageing that's already happened.
Meanwhile, women might be able to take rapamycin in their 30s, when their ovaries have started to decline but they don't yet have symptoms, to slow the ageing process, Prof Suh suggested.
“Our vision is women in their 30s and older can make a simple visit to their family doctor if they want to have more freedom over when they have babies,” she said.
Ovaries tend to release about 50 eggs a month, according to researchers.
But women who took a small dose of rapamycin weekly released only 15 eggs a month, indicating that the drug could decrease ovary ageing.
Having more eggs means you'll have a higher chance of getting pregnant.
It's also available to women who've had 12 cycles of artificial insemination, with at least six f these cycles using a method called intrauterine insemination (IUI).
What are the chances of success?
Younger women are more likely to have a successful pregnancy through IVF.
It isn't usually recommended for women over the age of 42 because the chances of a successful pregnancy are thought to be too low.
In 2019, the percentage of IVF treatments that resulted in a live birth was:
- 32 per cent for women under 35
- 25 per cent for women aged 35 to 37
- 19 per cent for women aged 38 to 39
- 11 per cent for women aged 40 to 42
- 5 per cent for women aged 43 to 44
- 4 per cent for women aged over 44
Source: NHS
Women could stop taking rapamycin after menopause, Dr Suh added, but they might want to take it for longer due to the drug's wider health benefits.
All the women involved in the study also continued to menstruate as normal.
Dr Williams said: “The implication of that is that we’ve hit on the perfect dose: if we were giving too much, menstruation would become irregular or stop.”
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Vibrant will report its results in two years and conduct a larger phase two study.
Because rapamycin is a cheap, generic medication - a prescription drug that has the same active ingredients as a brand-name drug - and it's already widely used, Dr Williams said progress would be fast once evidence in its favour was established.