Senolytic

A senolytic (from the words senescence and -lytic, "destroying") is among a class of small molecules under basic research to determine if they can selectively induce death of senescent cells and improve health in humans. A goal of this research is to discover or develop agents to delay, prevent, alleviate, or reverse age-related diseases. Removal of senescent cells with senolytics has been proposed as a method of enhancing immunity during aging.

A related concept is "senostatic", which means to suppress senescence.

Research
Possible senolytic agents are under preliminary research, including some which are in early-stage human trials. The majority of candidate senolytic compounds are repurposed anti-cancer molecules, such as the chemotherapeutic drug dasatinib and the experimental small molecule navitoclax.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator surface receptor have been found to be highly expressed on senescent cells, leading researchers to use chimeric antigen receptor T cells to eliminate senescent cells in mice.

According to reviews, it is thought that senolytics can be administered intermittently while being as effective as continuous administration. This could be an advantage of senolytic drugs and decrease adverse effects, for instance circumventing potential off-target effects.

Recently, artificial intelligence has been used to discover new senolytics, resulting in the identification of structurally distinct senolytic compounds with more favorable medicinal chemistry properties than previous senolytic candidates.

Senomorphics
Senolytics eliminate senescent cells whereas senomorphics – with candidates such as Apigenin, Rapamycin and rapalog Everolimus – modulate properties of senescent cells without eliminating them, suppressing phenotypes of senescence, including the SASP.