Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and

life-span

Human longevity : The giants

Calico
Founded in 2013
CEO : Arthur Levinson
Location : San Francisco, CA
Website : http://www.calicolabs.com/

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

Research company working on extending human longevity and life-span : Calico, for “California Life company”  is
a Research and Development biotech company founded by Google Inc. and A. Levinson. Its goal is to fight aging
and age-related diseases.

Human Longevity, Inc.

Founded in 2014
CEO : J. Craig Venter
Location : San Diego, CA
Website : http://www.humanlongevity.com/

This company focuses on the study of microbiome, genomics, bioinformatics and stem cell therapies to extend
lifespan. It offers services including genomic analysis, personalized vaccines and cell therapies, and develops the
Health Nucleus Program for personalized medicine

Companies working on human longevity and stem cells:

Centagen
CEO : Bryant Villeponteau

Founded in 2009
Location : Colorado, USA
Website : http://www.centagen.com/
Products : multi-path therapeutics via activation of adult stem cells.

First solution : therapeutics that promote stem cell function by stimulating body’s adult stem cells, therapeutics that

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

reduce inflammation, toxin levels, and fibrosis to provide optimal environment for a body’s adult stem cells, and
therapeutics that promote healthy circulation and hormone levels to provide optimal micro-environment for adult
stem cells.

Second solution : stem cell therapy. A small number of Adult Stem Cells are removed from blood or fat. They are
expanded in incubator and rejuvenated without changing stem cell state. They are then injected back into a
particular body system to cure dysfunction or disease. Centagen has developed a platform to rejuvenate and expand
adult stem cells extracted from a patient’s own fat, bone marrow or blood.

Biotime
CEO : Michael West Founded in 1990
Location : Alameda, California, USA
Website : http://www.biotimeinc.com/

Area : regenerative medicine, human embryonic stem cell and induced plenipotentiary stem cell technology.

They develop therapies that are based on stem cell technology and are intended to rebuild cell and tissue function
lost due to degenerative diseases and injury. These therapeutics target neurological disorders, cancer, age-related
macular degeneration, orthopedic disorders and age-related cardiovascular disease. Their aim is to become leader in
the development of pluripotent stem cell-based technologies for the treatment of degenerative diseases.

Companies and start-ups working on extending human

longevity and life-span

Elysium Health
Founder and chief scientist : L. Guarante (MIT)

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

CEO : Eric Marcotulli

Founded in 2014
Location : USA
Website : https://www.elysiumhealth.com/
Six Nobel Laureates are on the scientific board of Elysium Health.

Products : They develop Consumer Health Products. Basis is a metabolic repair and optimization treatment that
contains two compounds that support the production of NAD+ and the activation of sirtuins. It is already available
on the market.

Publication : Mouchiroud et al., 2013

Lifegen technologies
Founders : Drs. Richard Weindruch
and Tomas A. Prolla
CEO : Richard Weindruch
Founded in 2000
Location : Wisconsin
Website :http://www.lifegentech.com/

They aim to discover the genetic basis of the aging process to increase human healthspan. LifeGen Technologies
utilizes DNA microarrays to identify changes in gene expression that are associated with the aging process and how
these changes are opposed by caloric restriction (CR). The same process is being used to screen for compounds that
have the ability to mimic the transcriptional activity of CR.

Human longevity companies: personalized diagnosis and

intervention

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

Biomarker Pharmaceuticals
CEO : Charles Garvin                                  Founded in 2002
Location : San Jose, CA, USA
Website :http://www.biomarkerinc.com/

Area : Its research is largely based on caloric restriction and DNA microarrays. Their approach is to develop proven
intervention strategies based on understanding the molecular pathways that influence aging and the contribution of
individual genetic variation.

Products : pharmaceuticals and other therapies for the treatment and prevention of age-related
disease. Nutraceuticals : BM-A1 (for cardiovascular health, first clinical study completed), BM-A2, BM-
A3 Mimetic interventions of models of life extension (in particular calorie restriction).

Services : GeneEssence, which provides a personalized report of health and wellness status.

Juvenon
CEO : Bruce Ames, one of the world’s leading anti-aging researchers Founded in 1999           Location : Incline
Village, Nevada, USA Website :http://www.juvenon.com/

Area : development of nutritional supplements for healthy aging that aim to prevent the decay of mitochondria.

Products : Youthful memory, Juvenon tablets, Energy formula are available on the market. They are said to
enhance mitochondrial function and improve health.

Human longevity companies : personalized diagnosis and

intervention

Interleukin Genetics
CEO : Mark B. Carbeau

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

Founded in 1986                                     Location : Waltham, MA, USA

Website : http://ilgenetics.com/

Interleukin Genetics is a molecular diagnostics company that develops and commercializes genetic tests for
personalized medicine. For instance, the Bone Health Genetic Test

determines whether a patient is likely to develop osteoporosis, or chronic inflammation. Other genetic tests include

the PerioPredict (it analyzes genetic variations associated with inflammation and identifies individuals with risk for
periodontal disease), and tests providing patients with information about heart health, weight management,
nutritional needs, etc. They are available on the market. The company has several clinical research collaborations
with top research institutions worldwide.

Nu Skin Enterprises and Legendary Pharmaceuticals

CEO : Truman Hunt
Location : Utah, USA                                  Founded in 1984
Website : https://www.nuskin.com
Market cap: $1.89 billion; current price: $33.41.

Nu Skin is a direct selling company that distributes anti-aging products in the personal care and nutritional
supplements categories. It is interesting in particular for its personalized approach to cosmetics. In 2011, Nu Skin
acquired Legendary Pharmaceuticals, a Florida-based biotech company developing therapies to repair and reverse
progressive damage to mitochondria and lysosomes. Prominent scientists in the field of aging biology were on its
advisory board, including J. Campisi, A. Cuervo and A. de Grey.

GERO
CEO : Nikolai Kovtunenko                                     Location : Moscow
Founded in 2015 (from merging of GERO corp and Quantum Pharmaceuticals, a bioinformatics company)

Area : identification and detection of blood biomarkers as signatures of age, definition of a rate of aging, as well as
a lifestyle and health/disease status. They are also interested in the signatures of different activity types in

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

pedometer track records from smartphones and wearable devices of elderly people.

GERO aims to work on stability of gene networks and offer behavioral optimization programmes.

Publications : Kogan, Valeria, et al. “Stability analysis of a model gene network links aging, stress resistance, and
negligible senescence.” Scientific reports 5 (2015).

Companies and start-ups working on extending human

longevity and life-span

Prana Biotechnology
CEO : Geoffrey Kempler
Location : Parkville, Australia
Website : http://pranabio.com/
Founded in 1997, thanks to the scientific work of Pr Rudolph Tanzi, investigating the molecular basis of
neurodegeneration since 1982.

Area : treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington disease, Parkinson’s disease and
other age-related degenerative disorders)

Products : PBT2 (Phase 2b clinical for Alzheimer and 2a for Huntington), PBT434 and PBT519 for Parkinson’s
disease and brain cancer respectively (preclinical toxicology).

Retrotope
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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

CEO : Robert Molinari                                   Founded in 2006

Location : Los Altos Hills, California, USA
Website : http://www.retrotope.com/

Area : development of ways of controlling metabolic processes associated with oxidative stress and pre-serving
mitochondrial health, in particular in neurodegenerative diseases. The company assesses various target products,
such as pharmaceutical candidates, functional foods, cosmetics and skin care additives, dietary supplements, pet
product functional foods, and other antioxidative applications. Retrotope is conducting a clinical trial to assess
RT001 in patients with Friedreich’s ataxia (phase 1b/2a).

Chronos therapeutics
CEO : Huw Jones
Location : Oxford, UK
Founded in 2009
Website :http://chronostherapeutics.com/

Area : screening novel and repositioned drugs/compounds for the treatment of age-related conditions, particularly
neurodegenerative diseases and osteoporosis; repositioning FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and EMA
(European Medicines Agency) approved drugs. The company offers RDC5, which is developed
for neurodegenerative and obesity diseases.

Chronos therapeutics also offers screening services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies : Chronoscreen
is a proprietary screening platform used to assess repositioned and novel drug leads based on their activity and
regulation of cellular lifespan. This activity-based approach to drug screening reduces the risk of later stage drug
failure due to lack of biological activity. The Chronoscreen identifies drug candidates that modulate biological
mechanisms of chronological lifespan and offer therapeutic treatment for age-related pathologies.

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

Sibelius Natural Products

CEO : Christian Hoyer Millar
Location : Oxford, UK
Website :http://sibeliusnaturalproducts.com/

Area : screening natural compounds and nutraceuticals for their therapeutic benefits in treating age-related
conditions. Sibelius is a natural products company specialising in developing and testing proprietary nutraceutical
and cosmeceutical ingredients. The company develops products aimed at targeting age-related diseases, using
evidence-based biological anti-ageing properties of nutraceuticals. This is the sister company of Chronos
Therapeutics. MIT Professor L. Guarente, also a Novartis Professor of aging, joined the Sibelius advisory board in
June 2016.

Biotie Therapies
CEO : Antero Kallio
Founded in 2005
Location : Finland
Website : http://www.biotie.com/

Area : developing drugs for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

Products : Biotie’s lead market product is therapeutic for alcohol dependence called Selincro. The
current development products include tozadenant for Parkinson’s disease, which is in Phase 3 development,
and two additional compounds which are in Phase 2 development for cognitive disorders including
Parkinson’s disease dementia, and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare fibrotic disease of the liver.

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

Alkahest
Founded in 2014.
Location : San Carlos, CA
Website : http://www.alkahest.com/
Founder : Tony Wyss-Coray and Karoly Nikolich, participation of Dr Villeda and Dr Rando

Area : Transfusion, blood factors research, plasma-based therapies to improve neurodegeneration in aging. No
product is on the market yet.

Publication : Villeda et al., 2014

Signum Biosciences
CEO : Maxwell Stock
Founded in 2002
Location : Monmouth Junction, New Jersey
Website : http://www.signumbiosciences.com/

Area : developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease through
study of protein networks. They develop small-molecule therapeutics derived from a phosphatase platform to
modulate signal transduction imbalances.

Companies and start-ups working on extending human

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

longevity and life-span

Sierra Sciences
CEO : William Andrews
Founded in 1991
Location : Nevada
Website : http://www.sierrasci.com/

Area : develop drugs and therapies that will cure and prevent human diseases associated with aging. Presently, they
focus mainly on telomeres and telomerase.

Geron
CEO : John Scarlett
Founded in 1990 Location : Menlo Park, CA
Website :

Area : Their research is oriented towards telomeres and telomerase, as well as stem cells, and cancer.

Products : Its most advanced therapeutic product is in phase 2/3 and targets myelodysplastic syndromes. In phase 2,
two therapies respectively target myelofibrosis and thrombocythemia.

Companies and start-ups working on extending human

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

longevity and life-span

Proteostasis Therapeutics
CEO : Meenu Chhabra                              Founded in 2006
Location : Cambridge, Massachusetts
Website :

Area : Proteostasis Therapeutics focuses on research on drugs that control the body’s protein homeostasis. This
could lead to therapies against genetic and degenerative disorders. Its lead product candidate is PTI-428 for patients
with cystic fibrosis. The company is also developing PTI-NC-733, a novel combination therapy; and PTI-130 for
the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It has a strategic alliance with Biogen New Ventures Inc. to
enhance the clearance of misfolded aggregation-prone proteins in neurodegenerative diseases, such as in
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease; and Astellas Pharma Inc. to research, develop, and commercialize therapies
targeting the Unfolded Protein Response.

Genescient
CEO : Carlos Balarezo
Website : http://www.genescient.com/

Area : Genescient is developing a new methodology for drug discovery and development, by combinating genomics
and genetics, experimental evolution, massive screening technology and artificial intelligence-based data analysis.
Genescient offers fail-early drug screens services to accelerate and reduce the costs of drug discovery and drug
testing.

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

BioViva Inc.
CEO : Elizabeth Parrish Founded in 2015
Location : Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
Website : http://bioviva-science.com/

Area : At BioViva Inc., research aims to develop gene therapies preventing the development of atherosclerosis,
sarcopenia, Alzheimer’s disease and skin aging. In particular, hTERT gene therapies, targeting telomerase, are
deeply investigated.

Products and Services : anti-aging gene and cell and therapy.

Longevity Biotech, Inc.

CEO : Scott Shandler
Founded in 2010
Location : Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Website :

Area : Longevity Biotech, Inc. engages in pharmaceutical preparation. It aims to find modulators of natural defense
mechanisms in order to develop new therapeutic compounds. Longevity Biotech is currently developing LBT-3627
as a novel neuroprotective agent as a possible treatment for disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease. Also investigated
at LBI, LBT-6030 is a drug candidate capable of activating signals directly involved in the treatment of diabetes.

Products : All of its products are at most in preclinical phase.

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Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span - Work for human longevity

Dr Guilhem Velvé Casquillas

Author/Reviewer
Auteur/Relecteur

Physics PhD, CEO NBIC Valley, CEO Long Long Life, CEO Elvesys Microfluidic Innovation Center

More about the Long Long Life team

Docteur en physique, CEO NBIC Valley, CEO Long Long Life, CEO Elvesys Microfluidic Innovation Center

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