In pre-market trading, Klotho Neurosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: KLTO) increased 63.19% to $2.97, continuing its strong upward trend in the stock market. This comes after shares finished at $1.82 in the previous session, a startling 787.80% increase. The revelation of promising pre-clinical data pertaining to the Klotho gene and gene replacement treatment is credited with the spike.
Innovation in Aging Gene Therapy
The new results are based on research that showed a decrease in age-related deterioration in several organs by increasing the expression of the Klotho gene. This finding raises the possibility of greatly increasing longevity and healthspan.
Professor Makoto Kuro-O’s seminal work from 1997, which connected decreased blood levels of the Klotho protein to shorter animal lifespans, served as the basis for this study. Additionally, his group demonstrated that mice that were genetically altered to overexpress Klotho had 30% to 40% longer lifespans than their typical counterparts.
Klotho Protein Secreted Has Therapeutic Potential
The effects of the secretory Klotho protein variation (s-KL) on both healthy aging mice and those with accelerated aging characteristics were investigated in a recent study headed by Joan Roig-Soriano and colleagues and published in the February 2025 issue of Molecular Therapy. The s-KL therapy, which was given using an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV9), considerably raised blood protein levels and resulted in a 20% increase in lifetime.
The study confirmed s-KL’s potential as a therapeutic molecule against aging-related deterioration by identifying several biological pathways as being positively effected by it, including those linked to cell stress, inflammation, and tissue repair.
Exclusive Global Licensing and Future Focus
The unique global license for s-KL is held by Klotho Neurosciences (KLTO) from the Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). These rights cover the therapeutic use of the s-KL variant in the treatment of age-related and neurodegenerative diseases and are applicable in the United States, Europe, and China.
Notably, Professor Kuro-O serves as a scientific advisor to KLTO. The company is now directing its efforts toward developing s-KL therapies for conditions such as ALS, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.
