VANCOUVER, British Columbia - July 30, 2020 - Scientists today now have a better understanding into the aging process, giving us a better explanation of the cellular changes that lead our body and brain to decline as we age. Many believe that inflammation, stress, diet, exercise, and genetics greatly contribute to our aging process.
New studies are pointing to promising treatments that could slow, stop, or even reverse the signs of aging. This isn't just about turning back the clock in order to have a longer life span, it's about extending our healthy years.
In one study, mice were given pills that mimicked the positive benefits of exercise. If it works in mice would it be effective in humans? And what does this portend for the future, if our lifespan increases and we all live decades longer?
The business of anti-aging and rejuvenation is gaining steam and should be on the radar of investors — the Bank of America has forecasted that the market will balloon from $110 billion today, to nearly to $610 billion by 2025.
Researchers have jumped on this trend too. In 2012, only 73 trials were conducted to reverse aging and that number doubled by the end of 2017 to 145. In 2018, this industry accounted for the most significant amount of investment, as market participants attracted an amount close to $800M (for comparison, back in 2014, it was only about $100M). The number of investment deals is also growing, with the highest number of the past six years recorded in 2017 (25 according to CB Insights, up from 13 a year earlier).
Companies like Juvenescence have raised over $100M to advance multiple anti-aging programs. Juvenescence believes that recent scientific and medical advances will enable the development of therapeutics that meaningfully improve human health and extends our lifespan.
Here are additional industry developments we're excited about:
Juvenescence's portfolio currently includes Insilico Medicine, a next-generation artificial intelligence company specializing in the application of deep learning to drug discovery and aging research. Juvenescence AI, a joint venture with Insilico Medicine focused on the clinical development of AI-generated compounds.
UNITY Biotechnology, a company developing therapeutics to extend healthspan with an initial focus on cellular senescence..
AgeX Therapeutics, a company applying intellectual property related to cell immortality and pluripotency.
Finding the latest developments
Investors can follow the latest advancements in anti-aging and rejuvenation by reading magazines such as Nature and The New Scientist. Both publications recently featured interesting articles that highlighted recent developments. We also recommend following websites like fiercebiotech, scientificamerican (https://www.scientificamerican.com/), and tracking IPOs (https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/ipos) to find other companies developing innovative technologies