Karmazin has began to treat hardened arteries of elders with young blood in 5 cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tampa, Houston, and Omaha, while the New York City clinic plans fell short according to the Business Insider.
Interest is high with 100 potential patients contacting the company within the first week of putting up it’s website in September. Nearly 150 patients between the ages of 35-92 have received the Ambrosia treatment, including 81 during a clinical trial.
Ambrosia’s young plasma treatments are intravenous interventions derived from blood from donors between the ages of 16-25 and sold for $8000 a liter to patients over the age of 35, or at a volume discount of $12,000 for two liters.
During an interview with The Guardian Karmazin stated an Ambrosia study found treatment led to a 20% reduction in levels of two proteins linked to cancer and Alzheimer’s in participants with a mean age of 60 at a cost of $8000 to each of the participants.
Ambrosia treatment was inspired by animal studies known as parabiosis. Two UC Berkeley researchers have described Ambrosia’s treatments as dangerous, saying it could quite likely inflict bodily harm. Irina Conboy says the reason such transfusion are not done frequently is that in 50% of patients there are bad side effects as they are infused with another person’s blood and it doesn’t match; and the research in animals studies is not conclusive.
Karmazin has disputed this conclusion saying it is not supported by data or clinical experience; adding millions of plasma transfusions are performed each year which are monitored by the FDA according to approved rules and regulations. Ambrosia’s treatments are blood transfusions which allows them to provide the service as an off label type of treatment.
In a filing with the US National Library of Medicine in regards to Ambrosia’s clinical trial it was stated that the project would focus on inflammation, nerve development, stem cell proliferation, blood clotting, immune function, and brain plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease:
“Organ function which will be specifically measured includes the liver, bone marrow, kidneys, pancreas, muscles, cardiovasculature, cerebrovasculature, and the thyroid,” “Specific disease states connected to these biomarkers include anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, elevated risk of cancer, atherosclerosis, dementia, and cataracts.” according to the filing.
Shortage of hard evidence backing Ambrosia’s treatment is not deterring interest from wealthy clients, as a waiting list has been formed. Whether or not these treatments do any good is still up in the air, but the idea behind it is promising and will continue to persist.
“Hope springs eternal.”- Alexander Pope
