National oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc has set an ambitious goal to commercialise a newly invented "rejuvenating DNA" with the potential to treat ageing-related illnesses as part of a cooperation with Chulalongkorn University.
Specialists from the school's Faculty of Medicine invented RED-GEMs (REjuvenating DNA by GEnomic Stability Molecules) which they claim were able to slow the effects of ageing during experiments with laboratory animals.
The research team is led by Prof Apiwat Mutirangura, a specialist in molecular genetics and epigenetics and the head of the Department of Anatomy.
His genetic innovation could offer treatments for health problems among the elderly, said Prof Apiwat. The collaboration with PTT can hopefully bring RED-GEMs to market to become "an income generator for Thailand", he said.
Usually when a person gets older, his or her DNA cannot rotate normally and is easily destroyed. This is why more DNA damage or lesions are found in ageing cells.
"These DNA lesions signal cells to stop dividing normally and they start to age, as well as mutate and become cancerous," said Prof Apiwat.
Researchers conducting a laboratory test using RED-GEMs on mice found that their ageing cells could be reversed into normally functioning cells, he said.
They also discovered that the ineffective brain functions of old mice could be restored.
The research team is now looking forward to the next stage of experiments. They plan to first test RED-GEMs on larger animals, including macaques, to study the long-term effects of the treatment.
Human testing will follow, which is expected to take place in the next two years, said Bundhit Eua-arporn, president of Chulalongkorn University.
Auttapol Rerkpiboon, president and chief executive of PTT Plc, said his company plans to support the clinical trials of the RED-GEMs project and prepare for a massive production of new medicinal products.
The cooperation will be made through PTT's wholly-owned subsidy and life science arm, Innobic (Asia) Co.
Innobic will provide financial support to the project, help with the patenting process and commercialise the products, said Buranin Rattanasombat, chairman of Innobic (Asia) and senior executive vice-president of PTT.
The cooperation also marks a fresh effort to support the government's wellness and medical hub policy, he said.
Working with Chulalongkorn University is the latest project of Innobic, which was established in 2020 to explore new business opportunities in medicine, food and other life sciences-related products.
The firm earlier announced it would develop Thailand's first pharmaceutical factory to produce cancer treatment drugs at a cost of 2.5 billion baht under cooperation with the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation.
Innobic also forged a partnership with Mahidol University's Institute of Nutrition to jointly develop food products for elderly people.
The food items, to be produced under the ultra-high temperature process known as UHT, are aimed at facilitating eating among the elderly and patients in care who cannot eat normally.
The firm said it plans to first develop 2-3 food formulas this year.
The cooperation between Innobic and the Institute of Nutrition focuses on R&D, a clinical trial and a plan for commercial production.