Each week we summarize new research on longevity, peptides, and regenerative medicine in plain language. Every summary includes the studies it is based on so you can read the source yourself. This week covers three topics.
Senolytics: drugs that target "aging" cells
- Senolytics are drugs designed to remove old cells, called senescent cells, that stop working but do not die.
- A 2026 lab study compared 21 of these drugs and found that even the strongest ones did not remove every senescent cell.
- A small 2025 human study in older adults found one senolytic drug pair was safe. The study was too small to show whether it works.
As people age, some cells stop doing their job but do not die. Scientists call these senescent cells. Researchers study them because they may play a role in how the body ages.
Senolytics are a group of drugs made to clear these cells out of the body. In 2026, a lab study tested 21 different senolytic drugs side by side. It found that the strongest drugs still left some senescent cells behind. The cells that survived were protected by parts of the cell that make energy.
In 2025, researchers at Mayo Clinic, Harvard, and Cedars-Sinai ran a small study in older adults who were at risk for Alzheimer's disease. The people took two senolytic drugs together, called dasatinib and quercetin. The main goal was to check if the drugs were safe. The researchers reported that they were safe to take. They also said the study was too small to prove whether the drugs helped memory or movement. Larger studies are needed.
- Gonzales MM, et al. "A pilot study of senolytics to improve cognition and mobility in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease." eBioMedicine, 2025. thelancet.com
- "Targeting Cellular Senescence for Healthy Aging: Advances in Senolytics and Senomorphics." Drug Design, Development and Therapy, 2025. dovepress.com
BPC-157: a peptide with many animal studies and few human studies
- BPC-157 is a lab-made peptide that has been tested in more than 100 animal studies.
- As of 2026, fewer than 30 people have been studied, and no large randomized human trial has been completed.
- BPC-157 is not approved by the FDA. In the U.S. it is only available through compounding pharmacies with a prescription.
BPC-157 is a peptide, which is a short chain of building blocks that make up proteins. It is made in a lab. People online often talk about it as a way to help the body heal.
BPC-157 has been tested in more than 100 animal studies over about 30 years. Human testing is very limited. A 2025 review looked at 544 research articles about its use in sports medicine. Only one of them was a human study. Across all published research, fewer than 30 people have taken part. No large trial that compares BPC-157 to a placebo has been finished.
In February 2026, the news outlets STAT and Undark published a report on BPC-157. The report noted that most of the research comes from one research group. BPC-157 is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In the United States, it can only be made by compounding pharmacies and given by a licensed doctor for off-label use, which means use that the FDA has not officially approved.
- Wosen J. "BPC-157: The peptide with big claims and scant evidence." STAT / Undark, Feb 3, 2026. statnews.com
- Józwiak M, et al. "Multifunctionality and Possible Medical Application of the BPC 157 Peptide." Pharmaceuticals, 2025. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
PRP for knee arthritis: the dose may affect the results
- PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is made from a person's own blood and injected to treat joint pain.
- A 2026 review of past trials found that results were linked to the number of platelets in the injection. Higher-platelet injections tended to do better.
- Clinics prepare PRP in different ways, which is one reason past studies reached different results.
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. To make it, a clinic draws a person's blood and spins it in a machine to concentrate the platelets. Platelets are parts of the blood that help with healing. The concentrated liquid is then injected into a sore joint, often the knee.
PRP has been studied for knee arthritis for years, and the results have been mixed. A 2026 review combined the results of many past trials. It found that the outcomes were tied to the total number of platelets in each injection. Injections with more platelets tended to give better results than injections with fewer platelets.
The review also noted that clinics do not all make PRP the same way. The amount of platelets, the type of preparation, and the number of injections can all differ. The authors reported that injections with fewer white blood cells, called leukocyte-poor PRP, showed the strongest results for mild to moderate knee arthritis in the studies they reviewed.
- Hooper N, et al. "Platelet-rich plasma outcomes in knee osteoarthritis are associated with the amount of total deliverable platelets: A systematic review and meta-analysis." PM&R, 2026. onlinelibrary.wiley.com
- "Platelet-Rich Plasma for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Comprehensive Narrative Review." 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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