Company cofounded by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong swells coffers for life extension research.
NewLimit, a company working towards the radical extension of human healthspan using epigenetic reprogramming has announced it has secured $40 million in Series A funding from prominent investors including Dimension, Founders Fund, and Kleiner Perkins.
This investment further bolsters the company’s belief that therapies to delay, halt or even reverse aging can be found through the exploration of epigenetic reprogramming. With a strong belief that their innovative approach can also address various age-related diseases, NewLimit aims to revolutionize the field of aging biology and pave the way for transformative advancements in healthcare.
Longevity.Technology: Epigenetic reprogramming is an emerging but exciting field of geroscience. It involves the identification of specific sets of transcription factors that can induce changes in gene expression and cellular behavior, effectively reversing or modifying the epigenetic markers associated with aging. This approach offers a unique opportunity to rejuvenate cells and tissues, potentially slowing down or even reversing the effects of aging and its related diseases. NewLimit says that while its products are designed to treat aging itself, the company also believes “these products could treat or prevent many diseases associated with aging, including fibrosis, infectious disease, and neurodegenerative disease.”
NewLimit’s pursuit of epigenetic reprogramming aligns with the growing interest in this field. Several other innovative companies are also exploring similar avenues to combat aging and age-related diseases. One notable example is Rejuvenate Bio, a company co-founded by renowned gerontologist George Church, which focuses on using gene therapy to target aging-related conditions. Another pioneering company is Turn Bio, which employs epigenetic modulation to restore youthful traits in cells. These companies are at the forefront of the emerging field of epigenetic reprogramming, collectively contributing to a rapidly advancing and highly promising area of research.
NewLimit’s commitment to curing aging is underscored by its founders’ original $110 million investment in the company. With the additional $40 million in Series A funding, NewLimit, which was cofounded by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, aims to maintain a small yet dedicated team where every member actively contributes to both the scientific work and the growth of the company. The company hopes this focused approach will allow for greater agility and ensure that NewLimit remains at the forefront of aging research, with no compromises or shortcuts.
NewLimit says the support from investors like Dimension, Founders Fund, and Kleiner Perkins demonstrates a willingness to embrace the inherent risks associated with transformative projects.
“Even though aging is the dominant driver of human disease, aging biology has been underfunded and under-explored,” NewLimit explained in a news release. “We believe epigenetic reprogramming is a watershed moment for aging research and we hope to spur many more groups to participate in moving this field forward.”
“For right now, it’s very basic research stage of a company,” NewLimit cofounder Blake Byers told TechCrunch. “We’re trying to figure out how these mechanisms work and how we can control the epigenetic state of the cells and find these sets of transcription factors that can turn old cells into young cells. So that’s what we’re doing right now before we can make a product, and we’re starting in an immune cell called T cells.
“The idea is one day if we’re successful, you could make old people’s immune systems younger, and so more functional. We’ll also add some other cell types. We don’t know exactly what those will be yet, but an example would be liver cells, which are called hepatocytes, or brain cells, like neurons, where you could restore function in these age cells [1].”
