The biotech industry niche focused on aging is expected to reach a market value of $65 billion over the next three years.
Kristen Fortney is CEO and co-founder of BioAge, a clinical stage biotech developing a pipeline of treatments to extend healthy lifespan by targeting molecular causes of aging. As a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, she used bioinformatics to study the genetics of supercentenarians — people who live to the age of 110 and beyond.
We analyze each sample using modern omics technologies, measuring tens of thousands of proteins, RNAs, and metabolites. The resultant datasets are huge and complex, so we use modern AI and statistical techniques to sift through the subtle patterns and identify the biological pathways and molecular factors underlying healthy longevity. Ultimately, we're looking for the pathways that distinguish the most successful agers.
In a recent clinical trial for muscle atrophy, we showed that our drug triggered changes in these biomarkers that mirrored what we see in people who retain high levels of physical function throughout their lives. So even in a short-term study, we were able to learn about biomarkers that correlate with long-term functional impacts over decades. This shows the power of our ML methods to reveal new aging biology and confirm that our drugs are exerting beneficial effects on the aging process.
CNBC: You use proprietary human samples with detailed health records. Explain how you use this to map out molecular pathways.
kpfortney Without being able to talk to animals (as they age) to determine their mental decline… I find these studies flawed.