CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 09,2026 – People living with HIV may soon have a new weapon in the fight against age-related frailty. A new study, dubbed IPACE-HIV (Improving Physical Ability and Cellular Senescence Elimination in HIV), is launching to test whether a combination of drugs can help restore physical function in those living with the virus-even those whose HIV is well-managed with medication. It’s a captivating idea, and one that could dramatically improve quality of life for a population often facing accelerated aging.
- People living with HIV often experience frailty and age-related conditions earlier than those without the virus.
- The IPACE-HIV study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of dasatinib and quercetin, drugs that target aging cells.
- This is the first study to specifically examine these drugs in people living with HIV.
- The phase 2 trial is double-blind and randomized, meaning participants will be assigned treatments at random and neither they nor the researchers will know who is receiving which treatment.
What exactly *is* frailty, and why is it a concern for people with HIV? It’s not simply feeling tired. Frailty is a decline in physical function, making everyday tasks harder, and it’s linked to a higher risk of falls, hospitalization, and even death. People living with HIV are at increased risk of developing frailty at a younger age, even when their viral load is suppressed by antiretroviral therapy.
The Senolytic Approach
current treatments for frailty typically focus on lifestyle interventions like exercise and nutrition. But the IPACE-HIV study is taking a different tack, exploring the potential of “senolytics”-drugs designed to eliminate senescent cells. These are cells that have stopped dividing but don’t die off, instead accumulating and releasing harmful substances that contribute to inflammation and tissue damage.Dasatinib and quercetin have shown promise in reversing some symptoms of frailty in other populations, but haven’t yet been studied in people living with HIV.
The IPACE-HIV study is a double-blind, randomized trial, evaluating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of dasatinib and quercetin in improving physical function outcomes in people living with HIV who are frail or exhibit symptoms that they may become frail. Researchers are hoping to see if these drugs can definitely help improve muscle strength, walking speed, and overall physical performance.
A Promising, But Early, Step
While the idea of targeting senescent cells is exciting, it’s vital to remember that this is still early-stage research.The IPACE-HIV study will provide crucial data about whether this approach is safe and potentially effective for people living with HIV. The results will help determine whether larger, more definitive trials are warranted.
The study is being conducted by ACTG, a global clinical trials network focused on HIV and other infectious diseases.
