National Healthy Longevity Trial Receives Federal Support

Key Summary

• Up to $38 million in federal funding awarded to the Barshop Institute at UT Health San Antonio
• Supports VITAL-H, the first nationwide healthy longevity clinical trial
• Backed by ARPA-H, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Evaluates repurposed FDA-approved drugs to delay age-related functional decline
• Focus on healthspan, intrinsic capacity, and midlife prevention (ages 60–65)

Federal Funding Backs Landmark Healthy Longevity Trial

The Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at UT Health San Antonio has secured up to $38 million in federal funding to lead the Validation and Intervention Testing for Aging, Longevity and Healthspan (VITAL-H) trial. Awarded by ARPA-H, this contract positions San Antonio as a national hub for clinical longevity science.

VITAL-H is embedded within ARPA-H’s Proactive Solutions for Prolonging Resilience (PROSPR) program, which aims to challenge the long-held assumption that aging inevitably leads to disability. According to Andrew Brack, PROSPR is designed to identify therapeutics that preserve functional ability during critical stages of midlife aging.

Repurposing FDA-Approved Drugs to Preserve Healthspan

The VITAL-H trial will evaluate three FDA-approved medications, rapamycin, dapagliflozin, and semaglutide, selected for their distinct mechanisms of action, oral administration, and long-term safety profiles. Backed by strong preclinical data and early human evidence, these agents may help slow age-related decline in generally healthy adults.

The study will be led by Elena Volpi, MD, PhD, director of the Barshop Institute. She notes that while life expectancy has increased globally, the onset of age-related disability has not shifted, creating an urgent need for preventive, function-focused interventions rather than disease-centric care.

Measuring What Matters in Healthy Longevity

Unlike prior aging trials, VITAL-H targets earlier intervention and uses Intrinsic Capacity as a primary outcome. This multidimensional construct assesses cognition, mobility, psychological health, vitality, and sensory function, offering a regulatory-grade framework to detect meaningful functional change.

Wearable technologies will continuously monitor participants recruited from South Texas, a region reflecting future U.S. demographic trends. Regional partners include VA research centers, metabolic disease institutes, food security organizations, and mobile clinical research units, supporting broad access and real-world relevance.

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Implications for Clinical Practice and Research

By reframing aging as a modifiable functional trajectory, VITAL-H could inform future preventive strategies, clinical development pathways, and policy decisions in geriatric and preventive medicine. For clinicians and researchers, this trial marks a pivotal step toward evidence-based interventions that prioritize quality of life alongside longevity.

Source:

The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center