Would you like to live a decade longer? If you’re like me, the answer is yes, as long as your quality of life remains strong. If I’m not healthy, it’s a hard pass. But if I know that decade will be disease-free, then I’m in. And if you are, too, you should pay attention to what longevity companies are doing these days. They’re working hard to make life better and last longer. Retro Biosciences is a developer of cellular reprogramming and rejuvenation. Put very simply: they’re trying to buy you more time.
What is Retro Biosciences?
Retro Biosciences is an anti-aging biotech that got lots of attention in April of 2022 after receiving $180 million from investors. It’s based in Redwood City, CA. The company organizers say all that money is expected to bankroll first proofs of concept for the lofty goal of adding ten years to a healthy human lifespan. Those are their words.
They point out that in America, the majority of healthcare spending, over $3 trillion, or 90%, is spent on age-related diseases. It doesn’t just happen in the U.S., but all over the world. And they believe the true causes of age-related diseases are “the untreated mechanisms of aging itself.” So, they focus their time and research on the cells and the way they drive aging, intending to find therapies that will eventually lead to the prevention of many diseases. They can do this now only because of discoveries in the past decade. Those things include single-cell multi-omics and pooled perturbations (honestly, I was no science major, so that all went above my head when I read about them, though I’ll try to help you understand more further down in this story). Oh, and they use targeted delivery systems to understand and intervene. That part I think we all understand.
What are They Trying to Do?
They say they’ll focus on cellular reprogramming, plasma-inspired therapeutics, and autophagy. Don’t know what any of that means? I didn’t, either. But now I do, so I’ll do my best to explain it here.
Cellular reprogramming is essentially what it sounds like. Cells are erased or remodeled. It’s only become possible in recent years because of massive advances in genetic engineering, where cellular DNA is manipulated and re-engineered. How is extremely complicated, but the bottom line is it may help in treating a variety of medical conditions, from cancer to sickle cell anemia, along with the regeneration of tissues lost from injuries, disease, or aging.
Plasma-inspired therapeutics are simpler when you say plasma therapy, at least to me. In that case, the plasma from other people is essentially used to help the patient.
And autophagy is when a cell degrades and removes unnecessary components. It’s like an orderly recycling program of sorts.
So, Retro is working to identify mechanisms where interventions have shown strong proof of concept in mammals and also show promise for working in humans. They would recreate the interventions and focus on reprogramming cells, using plasma-inspired therapeutics and autophagy to make this happen. And they have an ambitious timeline for all of this. The autophagy portion enters the clinic in 2023. The first development candidate in the plasma program is set to be selected within two years. And the cellular reprogramming part is four years away from clinical proof-of-concept.
The company founders say that by looking at the cellular drivers of aging, they can design therapies capable of preventing multiple diseases. And that’s the true key to all of this because if we don’t have diseases, we have a greater chance of extending our life.
Where Are They Three Years Later?
Retro Biosciences recently announced several significant advancements in its research and development efforts.
1. Advancements in Cellular Reprogramming
In collaboration with OpenAI, Retro Biosciences has developed an AI model named GPT-4b micro, specifically designed for protein engineering. This model has successfully redesigned Yamanaka factors—proteins that can revert mature cells to a youthful state—making them 50 times more effective in preliminary tests. This enhancement could significantly improve the efficiency of generating stem cells, which are crucial for regenerative medicine and anti-aging therapies.
2. Upcoming Clinical Trials
Retro Biosciences is preparing to initiate clinical trials for three promising interventions:
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Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment: A novel drug targeting neuronal autophagy—the process by which cells remove and recycle waste—is set to enter human trials in Australia later this year. By enhancing this cellular cleanup process, the treatment aims to alleviate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Microglia Replacement Therapy: The company is developing a method to replace aged and dysfunctional microglia—the brain’s resident immune cells—with younger, functional ones. This approach seeks to reduce neuroinflammation and improve cognitive function in neurodegenerative conditions.
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Blood Stem Cell Rejuvenation: Retro Biosciences plans to rejuvenate the immune system by replacing old blood stem cells with younger counterparts. This therapy could enhance immune responses and overall health in aging individuals.
3. Significant Funding Initiatives
To support these ambitious projects, Retro Biosciences is raising $1 billion in a Series A funding round. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and initial investor with $180 million, is contributing additional funds. The capital will facilitate the progression of these therapies through clinical development, aiming to extend healthy human lifespan by a decade.
These developments underscore Retro Biosciences’ commitment to pioneering interventions that target the fundamental mechanisms of aging, with the potential to transform healthcare and improve quality of life for aging populations.
We can all hope they are successful!
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