A longevity startup has dosed its first patient in a quest to reverse age-related sight loss, using a drug called ER-100. The study will involve around 18 adults over the next year and aims to test the safety of the treatment on those with glaucoma and NAION.

ER-100 is designed to rejuvenate cells in the optic nerve that transmit visual information from the eye to the brain, potentially restoring sight. This marks a significant step as it’s the first cellular-rejuvenation therapy using this technology to receive FDA clearance for human clinical trials.

Aging biology—understanding how our cells deteriorate over time—is at the heart of longevity science. David Sinclair, co-founder of Life Biosciences and professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, believes that restoring epigenetic information could ameliorate human disease. The company has also developed applications for its technology to tackle age-related diseases in other organs like the liver.

The first patient’s journey is just beginning, but it could have profound implications for millions facing vision loss due to aging. If successful, this therapy could usher in a new era of treatments targeting the root causes of aging rather than just symptoms.