3147 Horizon scanning for the identification of interventions for prevention, delay, and treatment of sarcopenia

Abstract Background Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle strength and mass. It affects 10% to 27% of individuals aged over 60 and increases the risk of falls, hospital admissions, and early mortality. It costs the UK around £2.5 billion annually in healthcare. Currently, no approved pharmacological treatments exist—this horizon scan aimed to identify early-stage trials testing potential interventions to prevent, delay, or treat sarcopenia. Methods Five databases were searched: PubMed, MedRxiv, BioRxiv, ClinicalTrials.gov, and UK Research Funding Successes. We included studies reporting pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or technology-based interventions for preventing, delaying, or treating sarcopenia, as well as those targeting muscle strength or mass. We focused on early-stage preclinical studies, including animal models, laboratory studies, and first-in-human trials, published or ongoing within the last five years (2018–2023). ‘Early stage’ refers to interventions not yet in Phase II or advanced trials. Records were screened by individual researchers, with team discussions held for uncertain cases. Ten per cent of records were also double-checked for quality and accuracy. Results The search yielded 3835 publications. After screening, 235 met the inclusion criteria, of which 111 focused on nutraceuticals, 91 centred on licensed pharmaceuticals, and 14 examined technology-based therapies. Out of the 235 records, 138 were animal studies, with all but two being rodent-based. Ninety-seven studies were clinical trials. The human studies varied in size, with populations ranging from 6 to 630 participants. Fifty-one of these studies included individuals with sarcopenia. Other populations studied comprised healthy older adults, patients at risk of developing sarcopenia, cirrhotic and haemodialysis patients, osteoporotic women, and malnourished or sedentary individuals. Conclusions This horizon scan has generated a comprehensive list of potential interventions for sarcopenia and established a robust pipeline for clinical trials. Utilising a reliable intervention selection tool will aid in selecting the most promising interventions for testing.