| NOEL THOMAS PATTON | PRIME PEOPLE
increasing the length of its telomeres. As you age and your telomeres shorten, they signal changes in gene expression in your cells, turning some genes on and others off. It is these changes in gene expression that induces the effects of ageing. 'People have the same DNA they had
when they were young, but it is the genes expressed that have changed. By increasing the length of your telomeres, it changes the gene expression of your cell to a younger phenotype, meaning your cell now expresses the genes of a younger cell. This means you can keep yourself healthy for longer.' Noel explains. 'The purpose of telomerase biology is
to slow down and possibly reverse the ageing process. When people talk about anti-ageing, people are talking about looking younger, a facelift, a breast implant. None of those things make you younger, inside you're still ageing and that's what really counts. Telomere biology is about increasing your health- span, the number of years you can live healthily and enjoy life.'
T.A. Sciences Despite all the complex science involved, Noel himself is no scientist. A graduate of Indiana University (1969) with an Honors Degree in Philosophy, Noel furthered his studies on the East Coast and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School. In 1972, he went on to purchase and run the appliance manufacturing business, Patton Electric Company, which his father started in 1945. He sold the company in 1995, after running it successfully for over 20 years. This led to Noel having more time to pursue other interests. 'When I turned 50 two things
of Texas give a speech at an event in 1999 on the properties of telomerase and telomere biology. Professor Shay explained that in a laboratory setting, cells could be kept
alive forever
TA-65 if
telomerase was activated to prevent the telomeres from shortening. Noel spoke to Professor Shay after his speech, eager to find out where he could get his hands on some telomerase. It was then he learned the University of Texas had licensed all their patents to the Geron corporation. 'The very next day I called the CEO,
flew out to see him and ended up investing in the Geron corporation. I ended up being on the scene, because of my investment, a year or two later, when they discovered what we now call TA-65.' From there Noel moved quickly to
ensure he could capitalise on the discovery. 'I negotiated with the Geron
corporation and licensed this technology from them for nutritional supplements because they weren't going to do anything with it,' he explains. 'They were only interested in drugs, nutritional supplements you might say were beneath them, it was not something they were interested in. Well I said, 'I've had consumer marketing experience and I think I could do something with it.' That was 10 years ago I got the license.' Noel and T.A Sciences spent the next
I can sleep pretty well
at night feeling that I've been succesful here in a business venture, and I am doing good for mankind and my own friends and family .
happened: I sold my business, and I noticed I was getting older,' he continues. 'I started feeling the aches and pains and the things that make you notice you're not as young as you used to be. So I got interested in anti-ageing medicine for myself ® I wanted to see if I could extend my health span and slow down the ageing process.' It was while pursuing this interest in
anti-ageing medicine that Noel heard Professor Jerry Shay from the University
few years conducting safety tests and putting money into research and development on how to extract TA-65 from the medicinal plant Astragalus membranaceus. It took almost 5 years to develop a way they could refine and process the TA-65 molecule into pill form. For nearly 6 years, T.A. Sciences has been selling TA-65 through
licensee doctors. These doctors are educated and tested on TA-65 before they are allowed to sell to patients.
Future developments So what next for T.A. Sciences? It is clear Noel is certainly happy with how far T.A. Sciences have come. 'We're accepted in both the medical and
scientific fields as the leader in telomerase activation and the science itself recognises that telomerase activation is necessary to lengthen telomeres,' he says.
A proven telomerase activator, TA-65 is a naturally occuring single molecule, discovered and patented by the biotech company Geron. When taken, the TA-65 molecule is absorbed into cells and transiently turns on the telomerase gene, which is usually turned off. When activated, the telomerase enzyme will add base pairs of DNA back onto the telomeres, making them longer. Ten years ago, T.A. Sciences acquired the exclusive worldwide license to sell TA-65 as a nutritional supplement, leaving Geron to continue working on drug applications for the molecule. Studies have documented the positive effects of TA-65 and there are a number of further studies currently being conducted, including clinical trials on its effect on macular degeneration and metabolic syndrome.
It is no wonder, then, that Noel is already
working on new TA-65 based products for the future; there are currently plans for a topical skin cream containing TA-65 that he hopes will rejuvenate the skin, a product people could use on their pets to improve their health spans, and they have acquired a license from Geron to develop an approved drug for the prevention of pulmonary fibrosis. With all developments ongoing, T.A.
Sciences has had to hire new staff to manage the extra work and move into larger offices in New York to accommodate their expanding operation. While he has faced sceptics, those who
questioned the science behind TA-65 and his own credentials in this field of science, Noel is optimistic about the future, even more so as the company has started posting profits after years of ploughing money into research and development. He is also happy with the work he is doing. 'I'm so excited to be achieving what I set
out to do, which was to increase my own health span and my loved ones and friends, and I now have the sense of accomplishment that we're helping tens of thousands of people to do the same thing,' he explains. 'I can sleep pretty well at night feeling
that I've been successful here in a business venture, and I am doing good for mankind and my own friends and family. '
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