Longevica Raises $2.5M for Open Life Extension Research
Longevica Launches Open Research Platform for Longevity Studies
Life science firm Longevica announced Wednesday the launch of a novel, open-access research tool. This resource will provide scientists and research institutions with a comprehensive dataset tracking the effects of over 1,000 pharmacological compounds for drug testing purposes.
This initiative represents the latest advancement from the biotechnology company, dedicated to investigating the mechanisms underlying healthy aging and potential life extension strategies.
Securing Funding for Research and Development
To facilitate these endeavors, Longevica has secured $2.5 million in funding, with Xploration Capital leading the investment round.
The company previously launched a line of dietary supplements informed by its research findings in April.
Over the past 11 years, Longevica has amassed over $15.5 million in funding from various investors. Among these is Alexander Chikunov, a prominent investor in the longevity field, who also serves as the company’s president.
Shifting Focus to Collaborative Research
Initially, Longevica concentrated on rapidly translating research outcomes into marketable consumer products, as explained by co-founder and CEO Ainar Abdrakhmanov in an email to TechCrunch.
However, through extensive discussions with researchers, the company identified a significant need for improved infrastructure within the longevity research community.
“Consequently, we’ve decided to share our internal research engine to foster greater collaboration and provide researchers with a robust data platform for their work,” Abdrakhmanov stated.
The Growing Longevity Market
The pursuit of extended lifespans is gaining momentum across multiple sectors, encompassing both human and animal health.
The global market for anti-aging drugs was valued at approximately $8 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $16 billion by 2027.
A recent report by Crunchbase News highlighted over 30 longevity startups currently operating, collectively having raised billions of dollars in funding.
Loyal, for example, recently raised $27 million to investigate longevity in animals, with the ultimate goal of applying these findings to human health.
Platform Development and Data Integration
Longevica initiated its fundraising efforts upon conceiving the idea for the comprehensive, open research platform.
The newly acquired funding will be allocated to supporting the platform’s ongoing development and the integration of the company’s extensive research dataset.
The primary objective is to refine the process of converting scientific research into commercially viable products, according to Abdrakhmanov.
“Many hypotheses exist regarding aging and lifespan, but a key challenge lies in rigorously testing these ideas to determine their validity,” he explained. “Our platform aims to assist the scientific community in progressing towards definitive answers.”
Initial Research Findings and Future Studies
The company’s initial study, spearheaded by Chikunov and co-founder Dr. Alexey Ryazanov, evaluated 1,033 compounds and demonstrated significant life extension potential.
A peer-reviewed publication detailing the findings of this study is currently in preparation.
Abdrakhmanov described the project as an ambitious undertaking, but also emphasized its potential for rapid results and broad benefits for the industry, a perspective shared by the company’s investors.
Equipped with enhanced research capabilities, Longevica will now conduct more in-depth testing of 300 selected compounds through a new research study at Jackson Laboratory.
Furthermore, the company will begin accepting applications from researchers interested in participating in a large-scale pharmacological screening experiment, commencing in June 2022.
Open-Source Data and Public Accessibility
“Starting in January, we will launch a public database containing annotated data from a wide range of longevity-related experiments on mice, including both published and previously unpublished studies,” Abdrakhmanov announced.
“The entire platform will be freely available and open source, with even the program code accessible to the public on GitHub.”
