From the Guidelines
Currently, there are no senolytic pharmaceuticals specifically approved by the FDA for clinical use to target senescent cells. While several compounds show promise in research settings, including dasatinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor), quercetin (a flavonoid antioxidant), and navitoclax (a BCL-2 inhibitor), these medications are not approved for senolytic purposes in clinical practice. Dasatinib is FDA-approved for treating certain leukemias, as seen in studies such as 1 and 1, which evaluated its efficacy and safety in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Quercetin is available as a dietary supplement without FDA approval for medical claims. Navitoclax remains investigational, with studies like 1 exploring its potential in combination with other therapies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The combination of dasatinib and quercetin (D+Q) has shown senolytic effects in preclinical studies and early human trials, typically using dasatinib at 100mg/day and quercetin at 1000mg/day for 3 consecutive days, but this regimen is not approved for clinical use. These compounds work by targeting anti-apoptotic pathways that senescent cells rely on for survival, but their clinical application for age-related diseases remains experimental. Patients interested in senolytic therapies should consult healthcare providers about ongoing clinical trials rather than self-administering these compounds. Key points to consider include:
- Dasatinib's approved use for CML, with dosing recommendations based on studies like 1 and 1
- The investigational status of navitoclax, as noted in 1
- The lack of FDA approval for quercetin as a medical treatment
- The experimental nature of senolytic therapies for age-related diseases
- The importance of consulting healthcare providers about clinical trials for these therapies.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Senolytic Pharmaceuticals Available on the Market
The following senolytic pharmaceuticals are currently being researched and some are available for clinical use:
- Dasatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor 2, 3, 4
- Quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant 2, 3, 4
- Fisetin, a flavonoid antioxidant 2, 3
- Navitoclax, a B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor 2, 3
- Other senolytic compounds, including naturally occurring polyphenols, heat shock protein inhibitors, BET family protein inhibitors, P53 stabilizers, repurposed anti-cancer drugs, cardiac steroids, PPAR-alpha agonists, and antibiotics 5
Availability in the US and Other Countries
While these senolytic pharmaceuticals are being researched and tested in clinical trials, their availability on the market for clinical use is limited:
- Some senolytic compounds, such as dasatinib and quercetin, are already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for other indications, but not specifically for senolytic use 2, 3
- Other senolytic compounds, such as navitoclax, are still in the experimental stages and not yet approved for clinical use 2, 3
- Clinical trials for various senolytic compounds are underway or beginning for conditions such as diabetes, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Alzheimer's disease, COVID-19, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, eye diseases, and bone marrow transplant and childhood cancer survivors 2, 4, 6
Investigational Drugs
Several investigational drugs are being tested for their senolytic properties, including:
- Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as dasatinib 2, 3
- Flavonoid antioxidants, such as quercetin 2, 3, 4
- BCL-2 inhibitors, such as navitoclax 2, 3
- Other senolytic compounds, including naturally occurring polyphenols, heat shock protein inhibitors, BET family protein inhibitors, P53 stabilizers, repurposed anti-cancer drugs, cardiac steroids, PPAR-alpha agonists, and antibiotics 5