Episode Details

PhenoNet Cleared By FDA To Begin Phase 3 Trial Of Inhaled Alzheimer's Drug 

PhenoNet has received FDA clearance to begin a Phase 3 trial of PHENOGENE-1A, an inhaled formulation of cromolyn sodium, an asthma drug with decades of safety data. Unlike most Alzheimer's therapies, which target only APOE4 gene carriers, this ~648-person trial stratifies both carriers and non-carriers by genotype, testing whether reducing amyloid aggregation, inflammation, and microglial dysfunction can benefit a broader Alzheimer's population than current treatments reach. Host Dave Asprey explains why this genotype-inclusive design challenges the field's narrow focus on APOE4 carriers, and what it means for families with Alzheimer's history who don't carry the gene. 

Sources: 

• https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260813649121/phenonet-cleared-by-fda-to-begin-phase-3-trial-of-inhaled-phenogene-1a-in-early-alzheimers-disease 
• https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260813649121/en/ 
• https://www.phenonet.us 

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University Of Zurich Researchers Discover The Adult Brain Can Repair Itself Better Than Believed 

Researchers at the University of Zurich identified a population of "regenerative astrocytes" in living mouse brains that repair damaged tissue through a previously unknown mechanism: dividing cells send newly formed nuclei traveling across long cellular extensions to repopulate injured regions and rebuild the astrocyte network. The discovery overturns the long-standing assumption that adult brains have limited capacity to replace lost astrocytes after injury or autoimmune disease. Host Dave Asprey unpacks why this finding reframes brain injury recovery as something the body may already be equipped to handle, and what the newly identified genetic pathways could mean for future regenerative therapies. 

Sources: 

• https://www.news.uzh.ch/en/articles/media/2026/regenerative-astrocytes.html 
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260812015158.htm 
• https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1139114 
• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-026-02354-5 

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Sheep's Wool-Derived Keratin Outperforms Collagen In Bone Regeneration Study 

Researchers at King's College London developed a keratin scaffold from sheep's wool, a farming industry waste product, and tested it against collagen, the current gold standard, in rats with non-healing skull defects. While collagen produced more total bone volume, the keratin scaffold generated bone that was more structurally organized and closer to natural bone architecture, while remaining stable and integrating cleanly with surrounding tissue. Host Dave Asprey explains why bone quality, not just quantity, matters for weight-bearing repair, and why a cheaper, more sustainable material outperforming the standard is a bigger deal than it sounds. 

Sources: 

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