BioTech IP Review

Method for inducing artificial ageing in a stem cell and uses of said cell

  • Filing Date: April 27, 2023 (international PCT filing)
  • Publication / Application Number: US20250172542A1 (published May 29, 2025)
  • Assignee / Applicant: Clock Bio Ltd
  • Priority: Originates from an earlier GB priority (April 27, 2022).
  • Status: Pending (published patent application; not yet granted as of mid‑2025).

What This Patent Covers

This patent application defines a biotechnological method to model and then reverse cellular aging using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) — closely aligned with Clock.bio’s core research mission of decoding rejuvenation biology.

Key Covered Concepts

  1. Transiently inducing aging in stem cells:
    • The method involves exposing iPSCs or derivative somatic cells to one or more “ageing‑inducing factors” (e.g., reactive oxygen species, telomerase inhibitors, mitochondrial stressors) for a defined period to artificially evoke aging phenotypes in vitro.
  2. Reversal of aging phenotypes:
    • After the aging induction phase, removal or reduction of the ageing stimuli leads to reversal of aging markers in the same cells — effectively modelling a rejuvenation process in cultured human cells.
  3. Artificially aged cells as research tools:
    • The application covers generating such artificially aged cells and using them to identify genes or combinations of genes that regulate aging and rejuvenation by performing CRISPR or other functional genomic screens.
  4. Methods of discovering rejuvenation targets:
    • This approach enables screens to spot genes whose perturbation blocks or accelerates aging reversal, directly supporting Clock.bio’s “genome‑wide” identification of rejuvenation factors that it calls its Atlas of Rejuvenation Factors.

Why This Patent Is Important

  • Closest to Company Core Technology:
    This application directly protects a platform methodology foundational to Clock.bio’s proprietary science — modelling aging and then rejuvenation in human cells, which underpins the company’s screening and therapeutic prioritization pipelines.
  • Enables Target Discovery:
    By covering use of aged cells to identify rejuvenation genes, the IP extends beyond a simple method and protects the discovery engine itself that finds and prioritizes therapeutic targets.
  • Supports Future Therapeutics:
    Having a protected methodology to induce and reverse aging phenotypes makes it easier to defend downstream therapeutic programs targeting the same biology in somatic cells — whether small molecules, biologics, or gene‑targeted interventions.
  • Potential for Licensing & Partnerships:
    Once granted, this broad method could be licensed by researchers and companies working on aging better than alternative models, adding commercial leverage beyond Clock.bio’s own product pipeline.

Summary

The patent application “Method for inducing artificial ageing in a stem cell and uses of said cell” (filed April 27, 2023, published as US20250172542A1) is likely Clock.bio’s most important IP asset. It protects a pivotal biological screening and modelling method that enables artificially aging and then rejuvenating human iPSCs to identify genetic drivers of aging — a central pillar of Clock.bio’s longevity biotechnology platform.

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