Diseases associated with aging have a profound impact on the quality of life. Hearing and vision loss, frailty and dementia are some of the common conditions affecting older individuals. With the number of people aged over 65 set to more than double by 2050, there is an urgent need to extend the healthy lifespan.
Since its inception in 2019, Rejuveron has invested in six portfolio companies—two of which are in the clinic—to address some of the hallmarks of aging, such as stem cell exhaustion, telomere shortening, and cellular senescence (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1 | Rejuveron’s portfolio companies.
The Zürich, Switzerland-based company has expanded its operations to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates following a successful raise of $75 million in a series B funding round. “Abu Dhabi is a very attractive place to develop science-based solutions like the ones we are working on. We have already established strong collaborations with universities, clinics and the regulatory authorities in the region,” said Aksana Labokha, CEO of Rejuveron.
“Aging and health span have long been ignored by the private sector, but, finally, companies are investing in research into the pathways that modulate aging,” said Brian Kennedy, director of the Centre for Healthy Longevity at the National University of Singapore and external scientific advisor for the company. “Rejuveron is exciting because it is building and fostering companies that are actively translating knowledge on the hallmarks of aging into therapies that can be applied to diseases associated with aging.”
Making longevity drugs happen
Rejuveron’s portfolio companies include Endogena Therapeutics, Rejuvenate Biomed, Rejuveron Senescence Therapeutics, Rejuveron Vascular Therapeutics, Rejuveron Telomere Therapeutics, and Boost Neuroscience. These companies are tackling a broad range of age-related diseases by preventing, repairing, or reversing the hallmarks of aging.
Endogena offers first-in-class therapeutics, EA-2353, for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). RP comprises a large group of inherited eye disorders that cause progressive degeneration of the retina. EA-2353 selectively stimulates the differentiation of retinal progenitor cells into photoreceptors and restores visual function in RP animal models. Following positive safety and tolerability results, an ongoing phase 1b/2a clinical trial will assess the preliminary efficacy of intravitreal EA-2353 injections.
“If EA-2353 shows signs of efficacy in patients with RP, we can look at potentially expanding the approach to eye conditions associated with aging that have limited treatment options,” Labokha explained.
Rejuvenate Biomed’s lead candidate, RJx-01, is a novel, proprietary formulation of approved compounds being developed to address the significant unmet need of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is characterized by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, which can result from aging (chronic) or inactivity (acute). Sarcopenia affects up to 22% of individuals aged 65 and 50% of those aged 80. The phase 1b trial met all primary and secondary endpoints, demonstrating that RJx-01 was safe and well tolerated while confirming its excellent bioavailability.
Other promising assets in Rejuveron’s pipeline include an oral compound for curative therapy for diseases characterized by telomere shortening, such as dyskeratosis congenita. Rejuveron Senescence Therapeutics develops therapies for diseases driven by senescence. “Rejuveron Senescence Therapeutics’s lead asset RST-001, a biologic stimulating immune-mediated clearance of senescent cells, is being developed initially for oncology, which will permit early proof-of-concept in humans. A second senescence-clearing therapy RST-002 shows a 15% median extension of lifespan in mice, indicating potential to treat multiple age-related indications,” said Labokha.
Rejuveron has acquired a stake in Boost Neuroscience, a company focusing on brain synapse regeneration that was founded by Nobel laureate Thomas Südhof. Boost’s research, derived from Südhof’s lab, indicates that specific factors contained in young serum can enhance synaptic connections in human neurons. “Our investment in Boost Neuroscience complements Rejuveron Vascular Therapeutics’s efforts to develop small molecules to restore the integrity of brain vasculature and prevent cognitive decline,” Labokha added.
The importance of early intervention
Studies suggest that targeting the underlying causes of aging with drugs before symptoms manifest may be a promising strategy for mitigating chronic diseases and promoting healthier, longer lives1,2.
“We need to be educating people from a young age, getting them on a healthy lifestyle trajectory, evaluate how they are aging and as they reach middle age, start thinking about interventions that are going to keep them healthy,” said Kennedy. “That is true ‘healthcare’; right now we are only doing ‘sick care’.”
With two clinical stage drugs under development, Rejuveron stands at the forefront, ushering a new era of healthcare that not only adds years to life but also life to years.