Late-life semaglutide treatment slows ageing and extends lifespan in female mice
Feng Y, et al. (2026). Nature.
Summary
A study in 20-month-old female mice that were treated with semaglutide for three months. Treated mice showed better physiological function, a weaker signature of several ageing hallmarks and a longer lifespan than untreated mice. Semaglutide changed the activity of nutrient-sensing pathways and ageing-related genes. Compared directly with calorie restriction, it preserved baseline function and reproduced many of calorie restriction's effects, and was associated with improved exploratory behaviour, spatial memory and glucose control. This is an animal study; the paper does not test people. It was funded by US National Institute on Aging grants, and the authors disclose a patent application on GLP-1 receptor agonists for healthy ageing.