Key Facts

• A US company plans to offer a gene therapy that instructs cells to produce more of an anti-ageing protein called klotho at overseas clinics.
• The gene therapy aims to boost longevity by increasing production of the klotho protein, which is associated with anti-ageing effects.
• The therapy has not been approved for sale in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), prompting the company to sell it overseas.
• The company is bypassing FDA rules by selling the therapy at clinics outside of the US, where regulatory requirements may be less stringent.
• The klotho protein is a naturally occurring protein in the body that has been linked to anti-ageing effects, and the gene therapy seeks to enhance its production.