Thanks for your interest and continuing to read this blog! I can’t image a more important technology to benefit humanity and create wealth.
Please note: (i) The companies below are not presented in any particular order, they are just grouped by category; and, (ii) The list below is by no means exhaustive––it covers about half of the companies we’ll be visiting during the Longevity Platinum Trip.
MY TOP LONGEVITY COMPANIES
Epigenetic Reprogramming Companies
This is probably the hottest research area in the longevity space. Interestingly enough, the three companies presented below are backed by various tech billionaires.
What it is: Your genetic software (DNA) is composed of 3.2 billion letters from each parent. Your DNA doesn’t change over the course of your life. It’s the same at birth, 20, 40, 60 or 100 years old... So why do you look different? Ultimately, it’s not the genes you have, its which genes are ON or OFF, what is called your epigenome (“epi” from the Greek word meaning “above”). Your epigenome determines which genes are “ON” and which genes are “OFF” at different stages of your life. So, epigenetic reprogramming is about trying to reset which genes are on and off to an earlier stage of your life. Here are three companies that will be at this year’s Longevity Platinum Trips.
- Altos Labs (Backed by Jeff Bezos and Yuri Milner) and led by CEO Hal Barron, MD). Altos Labs is revolutionizing cellular rejuvenation. With $3 billion in funding and four Nobel laureates on board, they're developing transformative medicines to restore cell health and resilience. For longevity enthusiasts, Altos offers hope in reversing disease, injury, and age-related disabilities, potentially unlocking a future where cellular aging can be reversed.
- NewLimit (Co-founded by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Blake Byers, PhD). NewLimit is pioneering epigenetic reprogramming medicines. Their unique approach aims to reverse cellular aging without altering cell types, focusing initially on isolating and characterizing transcription factors that can restore T cell and hepatocyte function. For those seeking extended healthspan, NewLimit's ambitious Moonshot could lead to groundbreaking treatments for age-related diseases, potentially revolutionizing how we approach aging and longevity.
- Retro Bio (Backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman) and led by CEO Joe Betts-LaCroix). Retro Bio aims to add 10 years to healthy human lifespan. Using automation and computational biology, they're developing five programs to reverse cellular aging, including in-body treatments and "micro replacement" therapies. For health-conscious individuals, Retro Bio's innovative approach could offer groundbreaking solutions to age-related diseases, potentially extending quality of life significantly.
Stem Cell / Cellular Medicine Companies
What it is: Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can transform into specialized cells such as heart, neurons, liver, lung, skin and so on, and can also divide to produce more stem cells. As we age, our supply of stem cells significantly diminishes in various tissues and organs. For instance, research has shown that hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow can decrease by approximately 100-fold, while neural stem cells in the brain can diminish by up to 1,000-fold. But there is a growing number of technologies and treatments aimed at restoring and rejuvenating a person’s stem cell population. These can help with everything from improving recovery after an injury and increasing muscle gain to combating aging and chronic diseases such as cancer. Here are two companies that will be at this year’s Platinum Longevity Trip.
- Celularity: Founded by my dear friend and business partner, Dr. Bob Hariri. Celularity is revolutionizing longevity through placental-derived stem cells and natural killer cell therapies. Their cutting-edge technology aims to boost the body's ability to fight disease, heal, and regenerate, potentially extending healthspan. For those seeking to combat aging and enhance overall health, Celularity's therapies offer promising solutions, including treatments for blood cancers using placenta-derived natural killer cells.
- Immunis: Co-founded by Hans Keirstead, PhD, Immunis is tackling age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) using stem cell secretome technology. Their innovative approach harnesses growth factors and cytokines to address immune dysfunction and muscle atrophy. For longevity enthusiasts, Immunis' IMMUNA product, currently in Phase 1/2a clinical trials, shows exciting potential, reporting a 6% muscle gain during bedrest. This breakthrough could be a game-changer for maintaining strength and health as we age.
CRISPR / Gene Therapy Companies
What it is: Gene therapy represents our ability to go into your current genome (not your kids, not your future kids, but your genome) and make changes. These changes can be made by a gene editing CRISPR molecule, or using something like an adeno associated virus (AAV) as a delivery vector to inject an alternate or corrected gene into the right cells. The idea is to cure diseases, extend life, and optimize health. And while this is expensive today, the costs will plummet. Here are two companies that will be at this year’s Platinum Longevity Trip.
- Gordian Biotechnology: Co-founders Martin Borch Jensen and Francisco LePort, PhD, are revolutionizing genetic research. Their high-throughput screening method unravels age-related disease mysteries. Want to extend your healthspan? Gordian's tech could accelerate discoveries, potentially leading to personalized interventions that target your unique aging profile. Beyond mere study, they're decoding aging's secrets for your benefit.
- Rejuvenate Bio: Founded by Harvard's Dr. George Church and led by Daniel Oliver, MBA, Rejuvenate Bio is your ticket to reversing age-related decline. Using CRISPR to introduce longevity gene combinations, they're not just slowing aging—they're rewinding it. Imagine resetting your biological clock. They are currently successfully delivering these treatments in dogs, with humans next up on their therapeutic roadmap.
AI Drug Development Companies
What it is: What if AI could generate novel drugs to target any disease overnight, creating a buffet of therapeutics for testing in clinical trials? What if it were able to design a drug that was perfect specifically for you? Given rapidly advancing AI, we’re headed towards of a future of what I call “pharmaceutical abundance” – a future where AI converges with massive data sets in everything from gene expression to blood biomarkers, enabling novel drug discovery that is 100-fold cheaper, 100-fold faster, and more intelligently targeted than today’s inefficient and slow-to-innovate pharma industry. Following are 5 of the top companies that will be on the Longevity Platinum Trip:
- Fauna Bio, Co-founded by Ashley Zehnder, is harnessing AI and animal genomics to develop next-generation obesity treatments. Partnering with Eli Lilly, their Convergence platform analyzes 452 animal species to uncover novel drug targets. For those battling weight-related health issues, Fauna Bio's innovative approach could lead to more effective treatments, potentially extending healthspan by addressing a major factor in age-related decline.
- Rubedo Life Sciences, Co-founded by Marco Quarta, PhD, is revolutionizing age-related disease treatment. Using machine learning and single-cell RNA sequencing, they're developing cutting-edge therapies for conditions like psoriasis and scleroderma. Their AI-driven approach could unlock new treatments, potentially extending healthspan by targeting the root causes of age-related ailments, offering hope for those looking to maintain vitality as they age.
- Verge Genomics, founded by Alice Zhang, is disrupting drug discovery with their AI platform CONVERGE®. Focusing on devastating conditions like ALS, Verge's technology could accelerate breakthroughs in neurodegenerative diseases. This innovative approach may lead to therapies that preserve cognitive function and motor skills, crucial for maintaining quality of life in later years.
- BioAge Labs, Co-founded by Kristen Fortney, PhD, is at the forefront of AI-powered drug discovery for aging and metabolic diseases. Their current focus on Azelaprag, an oral drug for weight loss and metabolic health, could be a game-changer. For health-conscious individuals, BioAge's work may soon offer new tools to maintain a healthy weight and metabolism throughout life.
- Phenome Health, Led by Lee Hood, MD, PhD and James Yurkovich, PhD, combines multi-omics, AI, and big data to combat aging. Partnering with the Buck Institute, they're pioneers in personalized medicine and systems biology. Their holistic approach could provide tailored strategies to optimize health and extend lifespan based on individual genetic and metabolic profiles, revolutionizing how we approach personal health management.
Neurocognitive Rejuvenation Companies
What it is: This area includes everything from those approaches that help to lessen the negative effects of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to technologies focused on restoring lost capabilities and neuro-rejuvenation—improving cognitive ability as we age. Following are two of the top companies that will be on the Longevity Platinum Trip:
- Max Hodak, Founder and CEO of Science, is pioneering brain-computer interface and working to cure blindness. Their flagship initiative, Science Eye, combines optogenetic gene therapy with an implanted micro-LED display, targeting retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration. Beyond vision restoration, Science's technology could augment intelligence, offering exciting possibilities for cognitive enhancement and extended mental acuity throughout our lifespan.
- Lou Reese, Founder, Chairman, Vaxxinity. Vaxxinity has developed unique, active Immunotherapy Treatments that cross the blood brain barrier and address the root-causes of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Successful Phase-1b Parkinson’s trials indicate the ability to target and reduce Alpha-Syn; and Successful Phase-2 Alzheimer’s trials are no progressing to prevention trials. Imagine a future where a single injection twice per year can keep you safe from neuro-cognitive maladies––this is what’s potentially possible with Vaxxinity.
Cancer Diagnostics & Therapeutics Companies
What it is: Consider this: 70% of all cancers that kill us, are not the cancers we routinely screen for (e.g., pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma). And most people have no symptoms from a growing cancer until it has reached stage-3 or stage-4, by which time the chances of a full remission are vastly reduced. Thankfully, there is a growing field of advanced diagnostics (e.g., blood tests that detect possible cancers, skin cancer screening, etc.) that help to find any cancer at the earliest stage possible. Following is one of the many exciting companies will be meeting with.
- Lakhmir Chawla, MD, Chief Medical Officer, ExThera Medical. ExThera is a company that has revolutionized the field of blood filtration to remove harmful substances from the bloodstream, such as viruses, bacteria, metastatic cancer cells and even COVID Spike proteins. ExThera has the potential of saving lives in severe infections and metastatic cancer. For longevity enthusiasts, ExThera's technology could be a game-changer in maintaining overall health and extending healthspan by purifying blood.
Metabolic / Inflammatory Companies
What it is: Metabolic problems include everything from high blood pressure and high cholesterol to diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Thankfully, there is a growing market of technologies and treatments that are aimed at improving metabolic health: from continuous glucose monitors that measure blood glucose and neuroinflammatory markers to new drugs designed to enhance weight loss and improve overall metabolic health.
- Biolinq, Led by CEO Rich Yang, is developing the world's smallest biosensor. Their wearable patch continuously measures multiple biomarkers, including glucose, ketones, and acetones, without causing scar tissue or bleeding. For those seeking to optimize their health and longevity, Biolinq's real-time, continuous monitoring could provide unprecedented insights into metabolic health, potentially revolutionizing personalized health management.
Diagnostic & Imaging Companies
What it is: The new diagnostic and imaging tests available today (and coming soon), will help us catch disease when they are most easily curable. Here’s one of the companies we’ll be hearing from.
- Bio, led by Jeff Kaditz, Clarissa Shen, and Dr. Michael Snyder, is revolutionizing health assessment with its advanced full-body scanning technology. By reducing full-body MRI scan time to just 10 minutes (from typical 45-minute to hour-long scans currently offered on the market), Q.Bio offers a comfortable and also non-claustrophobic experience. Gone are the days of potential claustrophobia-induced panic attacks and the need for sedatives to scan your body. Their goal is to democratize access to detailed health information, allowing for early detection of diseases and personalized health insights. For longevity enthusiasts, Q.Bio's innovative approach could be a key tool in proactive health management, potentially extending lifespan by catching health issues before they become critical.
Microbiome Companies
What it is: In addition to the 40 trillion human cells that compose your body, there are also trillions of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes that play a key role in maintaining your overall health, and influence everything from how you digest food and your metabolism to immune system and mood. In the past, we’ve discussed amazing diagnostic companies like Viome who help you understand and optimize your got health. This year, we’ll hear from another pioneer in the field who is helping to understand the underlying connection between microbiome and chronic disease.
- Susan Lynch, Director of The Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine at UCSF, is a leading researcher in the gut microbiome field. Her work focuses on the impact of the microbiome on chronic diseases and overall health. Dr. Lynch's lab investigates how microbial communities influence conditions such as asthma, obesity, and inflammatory diseases.
Why This Matters
How long do you think you’ll live?
What if we could add an additional ten, twenty, thirty *healthy* years to your life?
How long until no human being dies from cancers, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, or any disease of aging—because we’ve learned to effectively prevent them with next-generation, AI-powered diagnostics or vaccines?
For the first time in history, billions of dollars of venture capital and thousands of brilliant scientists are committed to extending the human healthspan: the number of years we live without developing debilitating diseases.
With the convergence of genome sequencing, CRISPR technologies, AI, quantum computing, cellular medicines, and an abundance of capital flowing into aging research, the healthspan revolution is set to become one of the biggest opportunities of the decade ahead.
