A new company is making the science of aging its business—reversing aging, that is. Their goal, they say, is to investigate cellular rejuvenation in order to undo the ravages of disease and aging that lead to disability and death.
Altos Labs is a new biotechnology company that opened in January 2022. Its focus is on reprograming cell resilience in a way that will transform medicine itself.
CBS News reported on this development, stating that “reprogramming holds great potential to treat vision loss, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries and other age-related bodily degeneration.”
We may be able to prevent aging within the next two decades
“I am convinced that within two decades we will have tools that not only treat symptoms, but can also predict, prevent and treat diseases and aging through cellular rejuvenation,” said Juan Carlos Izpisua in an interview with El Pais. Izpisua is one of Altos’ many noted scientists. He declared that reprogramming cells is “the elixir of life.” His research, which works to activate genes known for their rejuvenating qualities, is just one of the pathways towards cellular rejuvenation that Altos scientists are exploring.
Nobel laureate David Baltimore, director of Altos Labs, says the company has a focus on reinvigorating and extending the quality of life. “Altos will provide an unparalleled environment for collaborative discovery and has already attracted a most impressive group of investigators to the daunting task of reversing ill health and taking medicine in a new direction.”
The company has been gathering top scientists to work together towards a common mission. “Altos begins with many of the leading scientists who are creating this new science,” said Rick Klausner, MD, Altos’ chief scientist and founder. “Together, we are building a company where many of the world’s best scientists can collaborate … develop their research with the speed, mission and focus of private enterprise.”
Altos board member Frances Arnold is excited about Altos’ approach, saying it “offers a whole new research and development model targeted to the oldest of human problems—slowing and even ultimately reversing the effects of disease.”
Altos Labs has enormous financial backing. It has been reported that Amazon founder, Seattle’s Jeff Bezos, is one of the investors behind the initial $2.94 billion budget, with greater investment on the horizon.
CBS notes that prolonging life seems to be a key interest for Bezos, who has previously financed other biotechnology companies. He even discussed the issue in his 2020 letter to Amazon shareholders, quoting evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins. “Staving off death is a thing that you have to work at. … if living things didn’t work actively to prevent it, they would eventually merge into their surroundings, and cease to exist as autonomous beings. That is what happens when they die.”
Izpisua says the project is more than finding ways to extend life. He views it as a way to enrich the quality of human life, to make us all healthier and better.
For information about Altos Labs, visit http://www.altoslabs.com.