LongeVC’s Post

LongeVC Managing Partner and LBA member Sergey Jakimov, along with LongeVC Operating Partner Artem Trotsyuk, recently sat down with Drug Discovery's Brian Buntz for an in-depth conversation on the future of longevity biotech. They discussed the challenges facing longevity biotech, including finding therapeutic indications and establishing measurable clinical impacts. Despite advancements, many longevity technologies struggle with an "identity crisis," making it difficult to communicate with regulatory bodies like the FDA. To overcome these hurdles, startups must focus on generating robust preclinical data and forming partnerships with established pharma companies. The integration of AI is significantly accelerating R&D efforts in longevity biotech, although challenges remain in translating scientific advances into practical clinical interventions.

In case you’re wondering why there’s so much longevity/biotech coverage right now, it’s because it is a topic that, literally, affects all of us. Brian K. Buntz from Drug Discovery & Development brings it to an even finer point in his reporting: In 2050, the number of people aged 80 and older will hit 426 million. Which explains why there’s *a lot* of money going into longevity research, and into the biotech companies capitalizing on this research to create therapeutics, diagnostic tools, and other products. If you’re trying to navigate what is good science and what’s hype, and what’s happening really vs. what’s not, Brian’s interview with biotech/longevity VCs Sergey Jakimov and Artem A. Trotsyuk brings some great insight: 👉 Many biotech startups experience an “identity crisis” and need to find common ground to discuss with regulatory bodies. They can do so by generating robust preclinical data and actively seeking partnerships with established pharma companies. 👉 As a startup looking for backers, you need to make sure you have good tech/research backed by solid data and a solid team and you have mapped out your next steps. 👉 As an investor, you need to understand how the tech you want to back works. It will help you distinguish between legitimate solutions and buzzword/snake oil projects. If you’re investing in this space, if you’re trying to fundraise in this space, or if you’re just interested in the “sci fi” tech that’ll be arriving in your doctor’s office, give this article a read (and you can read plenty more about these companies LongeVC backs at longevc.com/portfolio)

In an interview with Drug Discovery & Development, Artem A. Trotsyuk , Ph.D., an AI Ethics Fellow at Stanford University and operating partner at LongeVC, highlighted the growing interest in longevity stemming from demographic shifts and increased awareness while Sergey Jakimov, co-founder and managing partner of the firm, also discussed the firm's investment focus on therapeutics, early-stage diagnostics, and longevity infrastructure In any event, much of the world is getting significantly older. The World Health Organization projects that by 2050, the world's population of people aged 60 years and older will double to 2.1 billion. Meanwhile, interest in living not just longer, but healthier, is growing. This interview explores the current state of longevity biotech, the challenges in translating research into clinical applications, and the potential role of AI in accelerating progress in the field while also cutting through the hype sometimes surrounding the tech.

We are so thrilled to share that Ultima Genomics has been named to the Endpoints News 11 most promising biotech startups for 2023! 🚀 A New Era in Genomics: $100 Genome is Here! 🧬 Last summer, Ultima Genomics made a groundbreaking announcement that had been in the works for decades. For just $100, they will decode your entire genome. This isn't just another milestone; it's a seismic shift in our understanding of the human code. ✨ What does this mean for us? 1️⃣ It unlocks the source code of every individual, giving unparalleled insights into our biology. 2️⃣ It hands researchers the ultimate tool to understand diseases at their root level. 3️⃣ It paves the way for personalized medicine, ensuring treatments tailored to individual genetic makeup. This monumental breakthrough will supercharge Biden's #CancerMoonshot 🌖 mission, which aims to cut cancer deaths by half. Imagine a future where healthcare is not just about treating symptoms but understanding and targeting the very root causes. A future where each one of us has our unique genetic map, guiding our health decisions. #UltimaGenomics #100DollarGenome #Endpoints11 John Carroll, Andrew Dunn, Drew Armstrong, Ryan Cross, Kyle LaHucik

𝐑𝐞𝐣𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 $𝟏𝟎.𝟔𝐌 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐥𝐚 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐦𝐑𝐍𝐀 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 Rejuvenation Technologies Rejuvenation Technologies Inc. secures $15.2M in funding, led by Khosla Ventures Khosla Ventures with participation from Shanda Ventures, Asymmetry Ventures, Merchant Adventures, Longevity Tech Fund Longevitytech.fund, and Y Combinator Y Combinator. An additional $4.6M in grants brings the total funding to $15.2M. The funding will be used to advance mRNA-based therapies targeting aging mechanisms, initially focusing on fibrotic diseases like pulmonary fibrosis and liver cirrhosis. The company's lead candidate addresses telomere shortening, a key aging mechanism. Their innovative technology involves telomerase mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles. Co-founders John Ramunas John Ramunas and Glenn Markov Glenn Markov, who completed their Ph.D.s at Stanford University, have extensive expertise in telomere extension. Dr. Dan Chambers, a lung fibrosis specialist, joins as Chief Medical Officer. The technology shows promise in extending healthspan and lifespan, with the potential to prevent age-related diseases. Rejuvenation's proprietary LNP technology efficiently delivers therapies to the lung and liver. This funding will support expanding operations and advancing research efforts to broaden mRNA delivery capabilities. #funding #investment

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 💡 This week was a 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐞 week for young companies in our market so this weeks company spotlight will look a little different as I couldn't choose between them. 𝐒𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧...  First up, we have a The University of Edinburgh spinout who are still operating in stealth mode (although the word might be out). 👋Meet Wobble Genomics who have just raised £8.5 million led by, Mercia Ventures and BGF! 🧬Wobble have developed a method that enables the optimal detection of full-length RNA using long-read sequencing. The company believes its technology could have "wide-ranging applications," including in drug development, basic research, agriculture, and ecology. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩... 🤝Dutch company Scope Biosciences B.V. have been awarded a €2.5 million transition grant from the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) to develop a rapid point-of-care MDx system. 👨🔬 The new funding will accelerate the development of the firm's ScopeDx sample-to-answer isothermal molecular diagnostic platform. Their technology uses #CRISPR-Cas chemistries and claims a sensitivity on par with PCR and a specificity capable of detecting single nucleotide variations. 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭... 🩸Flomics who have closed €1.1 million seed financing round led by a private family investor. 🚀 Flomics is developing its #liquidbiopsy in collaboration with several clinical partners who provide both patient samples and clinical expertise. Led by João Curado, the funding will enable the team to expand their preclinical studies which are focused on comprehensive validation on the early detection of five types on cancers. Three different missions but all equally important so congratulations to all. Give them a follow to watch their journeys and check out websites below 👇 🌐https://lnkd.in/eYa6DxYZ 🌐https://scopebio.com/ 🌐https://www.flomics.com/ #startups

Starting a new clinical trial is one of the most exciting things I have the opportunity do at Ani Biome. Although it is somewhat like picking the favorite child, out of all the finished and ongoing trials we have, this one is my favorite: Nutrition-gut-brain-stress-resilience. Beautiful! OH MY GUT is truly a state-of-the-art scientific project and I cannot wait to coshape and apply the breakthroughs that will come out of it. Proud to work with this team. Will post more details soon! 🧠♾️🚀 #gutbrain #mentalhealth #longevity #biotech #ai #innovation #appliedscience #humantrials #realscience #startup

So HAPPY to have been at the launch of the BioIndustry Association (BIA) Deepbiotech report, and their commitment to the non-therapeutic side of biotech. You might have gathered that it is this part of biotech that I'm particularly in love with. The bits of high-tech biotech that we will see in our clothes, cars, food, beauty potions lotions, houses. That will BE our houses. One day. Soon. Amazing panel chaired by the wonderful Linda Bedenik. Isabel Webb on the panel, just one of at least 3 Engineering Biology Department for Science, Innovation and Technology team members there. The biotech community is very lucky to have Izzy, Mark Renshaw and Jack Weaver (and the growing team) on their side. I get about a bit, go to quite a few events, and at about 90% of them, one of their team are there, talking to you all and finding out what's on your mind. And Rita Cruz giving the perspective of a well established biotech Ingenza Ltd, the changes she's seen over the years and the funding landscape for early stage (non-therapeutic) biotechs. The community is SO nice (lovely to see so many of you again Kerstin Kinkelin James MacDonald Tim Corcoran Manuel Rios Krauss Isabel Zhang) - if you are in biotech and you don't get to many events, I can make you a list 😁 And if you aren't in the BIA yet because it only does life sciences... Well... That is now incorrect and there are already a lot of non therapeutic biotechs (deep biotechs) in the BIA - having their say and helping to influence the landscape for you all. Why not join them? Check out the report here (it even has its own website!) https://deepbiotech.org/ #syntheticbiology #biotechnology #innovation #founders #postdoc #startups #phd

On the second day of the International Benchmark Biointelligence trip to Boston, USA the delegation visited LabCentral, a non-profit-organization that provides shared lab space for innovative biotech startups. With its 125 start-ups and over 1000 scientists and entrepreneurs it’s also a platform to network and experience Boston’s innovative climate in the life science sector. More information on the idea behind LabCentral is and which specific challenges it’s start-ups do address is explained in the video clip below by Johannes Fruehauf, founder and CEO of LabCentral and Biolabs.    One of the start-ups currently active in LabCentral is Anthology, which is developing a platform technology that creates highly diversified and evolved genomes. Starting with filamentous fungi, the start-up does not only target protein manufacturing but also the utilization of renewable energy sources and making bio-based products at scale.   Driving over to McDermott Will & Emery and enjoying the view on the 58th floor, it became clear that Boston is a highly innovative and therefore well-funded area. According to the shared information biopharma companies in Boston receive 31% of all venture capital dollars invested in the industry, second to California and more than other states combined.    At the last stop of the day at MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab the delegation got insights into the newest developments in the world of artificial intelligence technology, from understanding and evolving to using it for difficult linkage models or complex tv productions.    For more information on the biointelligence project, register for the publication event on April 16th, 2024, live at VDMA in Frankfurt: https://lnkd.in/ep_B7WHs   #Biointelligence #biologicaltransformation #US #biotechnology #Boston #USA #AI VDMA Services GmbH Universität Hohenheim Universität Stuttgart Fraunhofer IPA Richard Clemens Eric Maiser Anna Küster Thomas Bauernhansl Dr.-Ing. Robert Miehe Maximilian SchutzbachFranziska Mais Lea Stöber Andreas Pyka

I am currently on my way to the Scottish Life Sciences Summit 2024, which is taking place in Aberdeen on March 20th. This is my first time attending this event, and I'm excited to see what it has in store. The summit promises to bring together investors, entrepreneurs and other industry leaders to explore how to transform innovative ideas into commercial realities. The main topics for discussion this year include: ➡️ Unlocking the power of genetic data ➡️ Exploring the future of AI and its applications in biotech ➡️ Understanding how venture capitalists make their investment choices in life sciences One of the hot topics expected to be discussed at the event is the use of AI to accelerate drug discovery, which is why I am eager to be there 😊 Have you had the opportunity to attend this forum before? #lifescience #clinicaldevelopment #biotech