Means and methods for therapeutic intervention of mitochondrial disorders or diseases, and in particular to a method for the treatment, prevention and/or amelioration of a disorder or disease correlated with mitochondrial stress or dysfunction, a mitochondrial disorder or disease, or a disorder or disease characterized by OPA1 alterations are disclosed. Thereby, a pharmaceutically active amount of a compound capable of modulating the activity of OMA1 and/or an oligomeric complex comprising OMA1 is administered to a patient in need of medical intervention. Methods of screening for a compound capable of modulating the activity of OMA1 and/or an oligomeric complex comprising OMA1 are disclosed. Methods for determining the susceptibility for, predisposition for, or the presence of such a disorder or disease and whether a person in need will benefit from the therapeutic intervention, i.e. personalized medicine are also disclosed.