The Methuselah Foundation is pleased to announce a new Mprize competitor: Alan Cash, Managing Partner of Terra Biological LLC, of San Diego, California. The Mprize, a scientific research prize aimed at encouraging scientists to find a way to reverse the aging process, is a primary activity of the Methuselah Foundation. The Mprize fund continues to grow and currently stands at more than $4 Million. Prizes will be awarded to research groups that can most successfully extend the lifespan of laboratory mice.
The focus of Mr. Cash’s research and development at Terra Biological LLC is on small molecules that simulate the genomic effects of caloric restriction (“caloric restriction mimics” or “CR mimetics”). CR mimetics have been shown to increase the lifespan of laboratory test animals, namely C. Elegans worms, D. Melanogater flies and, in a small pilot test, M. Musculus mice by up to 36%.
Mr. Cash is an entrepreneur with formal training in physics and geology, who has studied the biological and biochemical aspects of aging research with scientists in the field. He is working with the National Institutes of Aging Division of the US National Institutes of Health and also investing his own funds in this research. Previously Mr. Cash was Chairman and President of Terra-Kleen Response Group Inc., which was acquired by a Canadian public company in 2005.
Development of commercially viable CR mimetics continues, and one of these products, “beneGene” was introduced into the European and Canadian markets for use in humans in January 2007.
The NIA/NIH is currently evaluating the inclusion of one of Terra Biological’s CR mimetics in its ITP test program in mice to measure its biological effects on life and health span. These larger scale mouse tests will constitute the entry into the Mprize competition.
Mr. Cash commented, “My hopes in entering the Mprize competition are to demonstrate and confirm, on a larger scale in mice, the effectiveness of specific small molecule, biochemical control of aging. This biochemical control, which has already been shown to simulate calorie restriction – CR, a scientifically tested and accepted method of increasing life and health span – will be tested beginning with middle aged mice, about 16 months old.”
About the Methuselah Foundation
The Methuselah Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to accelerating the development of foreseeable, science-based therapies to combat aging. Its main activities are the funding of SENS research, and the Methuselah Mouse Prize, which is being offered to the scientific research teams that significantly extend the lifespan of middle-aged laboratory mice. Further details of the Methuselah Foundation can be found at: www.methuselahfoundation.org
About Terra Biological LLC
Terra Biological LLC conducts research into small molecules that simulate the genomic effects of caloric restriction, with the goal of developing commercially viable caloric restriction mimetics, comparable to those that have resulted in lifespan increases of up to 40% in laboratory test animals. Terra offers these “calorie restriction mimics” for human use in the Canadian and European markets.