Anti-Aging Protein Research Takes a Step Forward with Cell Cloning

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Mar 24, 2026, 11:05 ET

Issued on behalf of Avaí Bio, Inc.

VANCOUVER, BC, March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Equity-Insider.com — A protein called α-Klotho circulating in the bloodstream protects the brain, heart, kidneys, and the immune system. Peer-reviewed research has linked higher Klotho levels to reduced risk of Alzheimer's, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Mayo Clinic research connects declining Klotho to arterial stiffness and vascular calcification.

The challenge is that the body cuts production of this protein by approximately 50% after the age of 40. The molecule that guards against the deadliest age-related diseases starts to decline just as the risk for these conditions starts to rises. Market projections highlight the scale of the issue: Alzheimer's alone is projected to reach $32.8 billion by 2033, cardiovascular disease remains the leading global cause of death, and kidney disease affects 850 million people worldwide.

The global cell therapy market has surpassed $8.2 billion in 2026. The broader cell and gene therapy sector is forecast to surge from $10.4 billion to more than $45 billion by 2035, with more than 40 FDA-approved products now on the market. Regenerative medicine alone is projected to reach $578 billion by 2033. The science of reversing biological decline is no longer theoretical, it is an industry. And the companies building the cellular foundations for these therapies are at the forefront of market attention.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX) demonstrated what that looks like at scale. The company's gene-edited cell therapy Casgevy — developed with CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP) — became the world's first approved CRISPR-based treatment, now available for sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. Vertex expects to file regulatory submissions for the 5–11 age group in the first half of 2026. CRISPR Therapeutics, meanwhile, reported Phase 1 data showing its in vivo gene-editing therapy CTX310 achieved mean reductions of 73% in ANGPTL3, 55% in triglycerides, and 49% in LDL cholesterol after a single intravenous infusion — a one-dose cardiovascular intervention that could reshape metabolic disease treatment.

Altimmune (NASDAQ: ALT) is advancing pemvidutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist for metabolic disease that targets the $65 billion metabolic syndrome opportunity through hormonal regulation of fat metabolism. Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARWR) dosed the first patients in a Phase 1/2a trial of ARO-DIMER-PA, the first clinical candidate designed to silence two genes simultaneously for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. These are platform-level interventions pulling institutional capital into longevity and regenerative medicine at unprecedented speed.

But before any cell therapy can reach patients, it needs a starting point. And that's the step one this company just completed.

Avaí Bio (OTCQB: AVAI) recently announced a critical early-stage milestone alongside joint venture partner Austrianova: beginning the creation of a Master Cell Bank (MCB) of genetically modified cells that overexpress the α-Klotho protein. An MCB is the process of taking a single genetically engineered cell and cloning it into tens of millions of identical copies, creating a standardized, GMP-compliant bank of cellular starting material. It's the essential foundation from which all future working cell banks and therapy development will proceed — the step that ensures consistency, quality, and scalability before any therapeutic product can be developed.

"We are excited to enter the first step in the production phase of α-Klotho producing cells as part of our commitment to deliver safe, effective treatments for aging associated diseases," said Chris Winter, CEO of Avaí Bio.

The cells banked in the MCB will be used in conjunction with Austrianova's proprietary Cell-in-a-Box® encapsulation technology, which protects therapeutic cells inside a biocompatible shell to allow continuous protein secretion without triggering immune rejection. The technology is backed by over 50 peer-reviewed publications and decades of development. Avaí Bio's dual-program approach targets both the Klothonova anti-aging platform and the Insulinova diabetes program, each leveraging this same encapsulation technology. The company participated in the 15th European Pancreas and Islet Transplantation Association Symposium in January 2026, where Dr. Eva Maria Lilli Brandtner evaluated advanced cells for potential application in diabetes therapy.

The protein that protects against the most serious age-related diseases is steadily disappearing from the bloodstream. The science to potentially restore it exists. And the company that just created the standardized cellular foundation to advance that science — Avaí Bio (OTCQB: AVAI) — is doing so in a market where every platform capable of developing cell-based therapeutics is being re-evaluated.

For more information on Avaí Bio (OTCQB: AVAI) and its Klothonova and Insulinova programs, visit Equity-Insider.com

Read this and more news for Avaí Bio at: Equity-Insider.com

Article Source: https://usanewsgroup.com/avai-profile/

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