At Eterna, we are proud to announce a breakthrough in the field of regenerative medicine: the first published clinical evidence that MUSE (Multilineage-differentiating Stress-Enduring) stem cell therapy can reverse biological age in humans.
Our recent peer-reviewed publication, Multi-System Biological Age Reversal Following MUSE Stem Cell Therapy: Case Reports (Mathews Journal of Case Reports, 2025), documents two patients who experienced profound multi-organ age reversal, verified by advanced DNA methylation–based epigenetic clocks.
What the Study Found
- Case 1 (Age 45): After two intravenous infusions of MUSE cells, exosomes, and cord plasma, the patient’s brain epigenetic age decreased by 13.6 years, and the immune system age dropped by 6.1 years. Overall biological age shifted closer to their chronological age, reversing accelerated aging markers.
- Case 2 (Age 60): Following a single infusion, the patient’s SystemAge score decreased from 63.7 years to 52.8 years, placing them biologically younger than their chronological age. Improvements were seen across the cardiac, vascular, reproductive, and immune systems.
Importantly, no adverse effects were reported. Patients not only reversed molecular signs of aging but also reported enhanced vitality and well-being.
Why MUSE Cells Are Different
MUSE cells, first discovered by Professor Mari Dezawa in 2010, are a unique population of endogenous, non-tumorigenic, pluripotent-like stem cells. Unlike other stem cells, they have the ability to:
- Actively home to sites of damage by sensing sphingosine-1-phosphate signals.
- Phagocytose damaged or dying cells, clearing debris.
- Differentiate into multiple functional cell types to directly replace injured tissue.
- Reset immune and inflammatory pathways, reducing “inflammaging” – the chronic, low-grade inflammation that drives aging.
This dual ability—regenerative repair plus immune modulation—underpins their unmatched rejuvenation potential.
Why Other Stem Cells Fall Short
For years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been promoted for regenerative therapies. While MSCs offer paracrine benefits (secreting helpful signaling molecules), they do not engraft or replace damaged tissue. Research shows that up to 99% of MSCs get trapped in the lungs after intravenous infusion, a phenomenon known as the “pulmonary first-pass effect.” This limits their systemic impact and helps explain why MSC therapies have never demonstrated human evidence of true age reversal.
In contrast, MUSE cells circulate, home to organs in need, and directly contribute to repair — a critical difference that allows them to achieve outcomes unattainable by conventional stem cells.
The Future of Longevity Medicine
Eterna’s findings provide the first scientific evidence that aging is not fixed—and can, in fact, be reversed in humans. While larger clinical trials are needed, these results represent a landmark moment for longevity science and for patients seeking evidence-based regenerative solutions.
MUSE cell therapy is more than a treatment—it is a new paradigm in cellular medicine, capable of addressing the root drivers of aging across multiple organ systems.
References
- Khan A, Malik R. Multi-System Biological Age Reversal Following MUSE Stem Cell Therapy: Case Reports. Mathews J Case Rep. 2025;10(4):210. [DOI: 10.30654/MJCR.10210]
- Dezawa M. Macrophage- and pluripotent-like reparative Muse cells are unique endogenous stem cells distinct from other somatic stem cells. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2025;13:1553382.
- Eggenhofer E, et al. Mesenchymal stem cells are short-lived and do not migrate beyond the lungs after intravenous infusion. Front Immunol. 2012;3:297.
- Fischer UM, et al. Pulmonary passage is a major obstacle for intravenous stem cell delivery: the pulmonary first-pass effect. Stem Cells Dev. 2009;18(5):683–692.