The Promise of Longevity Studies: Insights from the Rejuvenation Startup Summit in Berlin
Summary of the trending research in healthspan and lifespan from innovative healthcare initiatives
Last week, I had the honor of speaking at Longevity Week 2024 in Berlin, where I shared insights on the power of mTOR inhibition for extending healthspan. The event, hosted by Michael Greve’s Forever Healthy Foundation, showcased groundbreaking research and the immense potential of the longevity industry.
A Gathering of Visionaries
The Rejuvenation Startup Summit, a highlight of the event, showed the growing interest in longevity. Despite a challenging market for biotech investments, the enthusiasm was amazing.
Michael Greve’s opening remarks set the tone, highlighting the vast potential of the longevity industry. With an aging global population, the demand for therapies that slow or reverse aging will only increase.
The Summit’s goal was to promote networking and collaboration to accelerate the development and accessibility of longevity therapies.
Here is a summary of key presentations
Hevolution Foundation: A Conservative Approach
The keynote by Mehmood Khan of the Hevolution Foundation was particularly thought-provoking. The Foundation, leveraging Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth, is focused on addressing the disparity between increased lifespan and healthy lifespan — a concept known as compression of morbidity. Their approach prioritizes scalable, cost-effective solutions like mTOR inhibitors, which could add a year of healthy life at a low cost, over more advanced but expensive therapies.
Innovations in Senolytics and Mitochondrial Therapies
Presentations from companies like Rockfish Bio and Rubedo Life Sciences highlighted advancements in senolytic therapies, which aim to clear senescent cells that contribute to aging and chronic diseases. The challenges of senescent cell heterogeneity and the lack of non-invasive biomarkers were discussed, but the progress in targeting specific cell types was promising.
Alexander Schueller of Cellvie presented on mitochondrial transplantation, a novel approach with potential applications in ischemia-reperfusion injury and organ transplants. The use of mitochondria to repair cellular damage offers a fascinating avenue for extending healthy lifespan.
Reversing Thymic Involution and Cellular Reprogramming
Greg Fahy of Intervene Immune provided updates on their work to reverse thymic involution, a process that contributes to the decline of the immune system with age. Their trials have shown promising results in reducing biological age and improving immune function, marking a significant step towards therapies that could rejuvenate the immune system.
Lorna Harries of SENISCA discussed her work on cellular reprogramming using oligonucleotides and small molecules to alter RNA splicing patterns associated with aging. This approach aims to reprogram senescent cells to restore more youthful functions, potentially offering a new frontier in senotherapeutics.
The Future of Longevity Research
Eric Verdin of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging gave a keynote highlighting ongoing work at the Buck Institute and its relevance to geroscience. He emphasized the role of senescent cells in aging and the complexity of immune cell populations as we age. His research aims to characterize and address immune senescence, a key factor in aging.
Lou Hawthorne of NaNotics presented on their innovative approach to targeting the soluble proteome for selective clearance. Their nanoscale sponges, or nanots, are engineered to soak up specific soluble proteins, offering a new way to manage inflammatory and autoimmune conditions as well as cancers.
Dobri Kiprov of Circulate delved into the recent history of parabiosis research and therapeutic plasma exchange. His work supports using plasma exchange to treat aging, with promising results in improving physical and cognitive functions in clinical trials.
Alejandro Ocampo of Epiterna focused on the incentives shaping the longevity industry and the importance of targeting aging directly rather than specific age-related diseases. His company is developing supplement-based approaches to slow aging in companion animals, aiming to provide proof of concept for broader applications.
Phil Newman of Longevity.Technology discussed demographic aging trends and the economic impact of treating aging as a medical condition. He emphasized the potential for significant economic benefits from even modest advancements in slowing aging.
Brian Kennedy of the National University of Singapore (NUS) criticized the current “sickcare” system and advocated for preventive treatments during healthy life periods. His research focuses on biomarkers and interventions, highlighting the need for rigorous evaluation of combinatorial treatments.
Alexander Leutner of Cellbricks showcased their light-based bioprinting process for tissue engineering. Their work aims to create functional, implantable tissue blocks for reconstructive surgery and organ restoration.
Matthew Scholz of Oisin Biotechnologies discussed their platform for genetic medicine based on LNP-mediated DNA delivery. Their technology targets sarcopenia, frailty, and unwanted fat, with potential applications in broader genetic interventions.
Jürgen Reeß of Mogling Bio introduced new CDC42 inhibitors based on CASIN, which have shown promise in reversing stem cell aging and improving immune function. Their work on these inhibitors is advancing towards clinical applications.
Nikolina Lauc presented the GlycanAge Test, a pioneering tool that measures aging based on glycan levels. By analyzing immunoglobulin G glycans, the test can predict the onset of chronic diseases up to a decade in advance. Her work highlights the significance of glycans in aging research and offers a powerful new biomarker for longevity studies. Nikolina is also an author on Medium, where she shares her expertise and insights about glycans and their impact on health and aging.
Conclusions
The Rejuvenation Startup Summit reaffirmed my belief in the transformative potential of longevity research. These innovations offer promising new avenues for slowing and even reversing the aging process.
Keynote speakers highlighted the crucial role of global investment and collaboration in advancing longevity research. Notably, the Hevolution Foundation’s focus on cost-effective, scalable solutions showed the importance of accessible longevity therapies for broader populations.
The summit emphasized the need to move from a reactive “sickcare” system to a proactive “healthcare” approach that prioritizes preventive treatments. Research into biomarkers, combinatorial treatments, and immune system rejuvenation aims to extend healthy lifespan, reducing the burden of age-related diseases and improving quality of life.
As we move toward a future where aging can be managed and even reversed, events like these play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and innovation.
Cellular reprogramming, mitochondrial therapies, and senolytics are just the beginning. With continued investment and research, we are poised to unlock the secrets of extended healthspan, offering new hope for a healthier, longer life.
I invite you to join this journey and stay informed about the latest developments in longevity research and actionable strategies for a healthier life.
The future is bright. Together, we can create a world where aging is not a fate but a choice. We can age gracefully with our choices like healthy lifestyle and benefiting services of healthcare professionals
Thank you for reading my story. Please share your thoughts and experiences on healthy aging.
