Rapamycin & mTOR
Animal-model evidenceRapamycin fed late in life extends lifespan in genetically heterogeneous mice
Harrison D.E., Strong R., Sharp Z.D. et al. · Nature, 2009
- Species
- Mice
- Design
- Preclinical / animal model
- Sample
- Three independent sites, NIA Interventions Testing Program
What it found
Rapamycin started at 600 days of age — the equivalent of a 60-year-old human — extended median and maximal lifespan, by roughly 9% in males and 14% in females.
Why it matters
The result that opened the field. It showed a drug could extend mammalian lifespan when started in middle age, not just from birth, and it replicated across three independent laboratories. Every rapamycin trial in dogs and cats traces back to this paper.
How much weight this carries
Signals so far come from animal models. We carry these forward cautiously and say so.
This link runs a PubMed search on the paper’s exact title rather than a hard-coded DOI. It always resolves to the real record, and it cannot rot.
More on rapamycin & mtor
- Transient rapamycin treatment can increase lifespan and healthspan in middle-aged mice
eLife, 2016
- A randomized controlled trial to establish effects of short-term rapamycin treatment in 24 middle-aged companion dogs
GeroScience, 2017
- TRIAD — Test of Rapamycin In Aging Dogs
Dog Aging Project, 2024
- Safety and tolerability of delayed-release rapamycin in cats with subclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (RAPACAT)
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2023
The content on this site is for informational purposes only and is not veterinary advice. These statements have not been evaluated by a food or drug regulatory authority and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a licensed veterinarian about your pet's health.