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Roundup: discover the latest in AI-preventative care and more
Age Tech World explores the latest business developments in the world of ageing and longevity.
Klotho Neurosciences to expand development programmes beyond neurology
Klotho Neurosciences has announced that it is evaluating the acquisition of several complementary technologies aimed at supporting healthy brain function, organ health, and longevity.
In addition to its core programmes targeting brain ageing and neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, Klotho will now be seeking to expand into adjacent technologies that complement its proprietary anti-ageing Klotho platform.
The goal is to slow biological ageing and reduce the burden of age-related diseases, ultimately promoting a longer, healthier life.
“As announced previously, we’ve begun manufacturing and development of KLTO-101 and KLTO-202,” said Klotho CEO Dr. Joseph Sinkule.
We’re also exploring other treatments that could support healthy ageing and extend human longevity.
The human Klotho gene is strongly linked to ageing and longevity. Klotho levels decline with age, contributing to age-related disorders such as cardiometabolic disease, neurodegeneration, cancer, sarcopenia (muscle wasting), osteoporosis, and general fatigue. Silencing of the Klotho gene has been shown to accelerate multi-organ deterioration.
“The Klotho gene is what we call a master gene,” stated Shalom Hirschman, physician and senior consultant at Klotho.
“The Klotho gene has pleotropic actions modulating many critical cellular pathways including insulin resistance, insulin-like growth factor-1, FOXO3 transcription factors, and Wnt signaling pathways leading to the reduction of inflammatory and mitochondrial oxidative stresses and other cell-damaging mechanisms that can be prevented by two alpha-Klotho protein isoforms – soluble Klotho and secreted-Klotho.”
“We’re assembling a team of scientists, clinicians, and business leaders focused on identifying key longevity indicators,” said Jeffrey LeBlanc, Klotho CFO.
“This includes evaluating genes and proteins such as alpha-Klotho, beta-Klotho, FOXO3, anti-myostatin, and their isoforms.”
Circulate Health raises US$12m in seed funding
Circulate Health, a longevity startup working to harness the potential of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) to advance human healthspan and lifespan, had raised US$12m.
The funds were raised in a seed funding round led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from Seaside Ventures and CSC Ventures.
The financing follows the release of Circulate’s trial study, the first of its kind to demonstrate the effectiveness of TPE in improving healthspan and reducing biological age
TPE is a patented method of therapeutic plasma exchange that uses a procedure that separates, removes, and replaces a patient’s plasma to treat inflammation, improve healthspan, and address certain chronic diseases.
Circulate has been operating in stealth for the past three years, studying the benefits of TPE and its ability to improve human healthspan and address the hallmarks of again, while partnering with clinics to deliver TPE across the US and soon internationally.
Everlab raises US$10M for AI-powered preventive healthcare
AI powered health platform Everlab has raised US$10 million (AU$15 million) to accelerate its international expansion, fuel the development of its proprietary AI healthtech platform, and support the rollout of an integrated product ecosystem designed to deliver proactive care.
Everlab aims to address the gap in chronic disease care with a tiered membership model that combines advanced diagnostics, digital-first doctor consultations, and intelligent health insights to deliver personalised health prevention.
Members have access to comprehensive screening services, including advanced blood testing, whole-body MRIs, DEXA scans, VO2 max, ECG, isometric strength, continuous glucose monitoring, food journal analysis, and CT coronary angiograms paired with continuous support and personalised prevention plans.
Everlab’s offering is underpinned by its full-stack clinical platform: a suite of AI agents that ingest, analyze, and interpret complex health data.
According to the company, these agents automate clinical summaries, identify early risk markers, and recommend personalised next steps, freeing physicians from administrative overhead and enabling earlier, more precise interventions.
“We believe everyone deserves access to world-class preventive care,” said Marc Hermann, Founder and CEO of Everlab.
“By combining AI with the knowledge of leading clinicians, we’ve built a new kind of health platform designed to deliver smarter, earlier care to millions.”
Donanemab receives positive opinion from CHMP in early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease
Eli Lilly has announced that the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive opinion recommending donanemab for the treatment of early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease in adults with confirmed amyloid pathology who are apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE4) heterozygotes or non-carriers.
The European Commission is expected to make a regulatory decision on donanemab in the coming months.
The positive opinion was primarily based on clinical trial data from the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 clinical trial demonstrating that donanemab significantly slowed cognitive and functional decline and reduced the risk of progressing to the next clinical stage of disease.
It was also based on data from the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 6 clinical trial which evaluated a modified titration dosing schedule.
In the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 6 study, the modified titration schedule significantly lowered the incidence of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities with edema/effusion (ARIA-E) versus the dosing schedule used in TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 at 24 and 52 weeks, while still achieving similar levels of amyloid plaque removal and P-tau217 reduction.
“This positive opinion marks a significant milestone in our efforts to bring donanemab to eligible patients across Europe,” said Patrik Jonsson, executive vice president and president of Lilly International.
“Donanemab has the potential to make a meaningful difference for people living with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, and Lilly remains committed to advancing the science through ongoing clinical trials and programmes.”
Johnson & Johnson showcases latest advancements in Alzheimer’s research
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced that new data from its Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research programme will be presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), from July 27 to 31 in Toronto, Canada.
Across 12 abstracts, J&J will share insight into how tau impacts brain function in early AD and reinforce the predictive strength of plasma biomarker pTau217 for tracking cognitive decline in at-risk individuals.
The company will also introduce findings from the Global Neurodegeneration Proteomics Consortium (GNPC), a public-private partnership co-founded by Johnson & Johnson and Gates Ventures, the private office of Bill Gates.
“Long-standing challenges in assembling large, diverse datasets have made progress in understanding the biology of neurodegenerative diseases extremely slow. At AAIC, we are sharing how the GNPC is enabling discovery at scale,” said Niranjan Bose, managing director of health and life sciences at Gates Ventures.
“Even at this early stage, researchers are uncovering new insights into some of the most studied risk factors, highlighting the power of the GNPC to drive discovery, reveal new targets, and ultimately accelerate progress for the more than 57 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias worldwide.”
Gut-friendly foods such as kimchi and kombucha may carry hidden risks for heart health when eaten in excess, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has warned.
The charity said foods marketed as prebiotic, probiotic or otherwise good for the gut can support the microbiome, but some may also be high in salt or sugar, which can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Products highlighted by the British Heart Foundation included kimchi, kombucha, fruit yoghurts, smoothies and sauerkraut. It said there is no harm in including them as part of a healthy diet, but advised people to check labels for added salt and sugar and eat them in moderation.
Tracy Parker, the charity’s nutrition lead, said: “We encourage everyone to choose foods that can keep their gut microbiome healthy. The benefits are clear, and we are continuing to improve our understanding of how a gut-friendly diet may help our hearts.
“A lot of these products can contain high levels of salt or sugar though, so it is important to be aware of the potential drawbacks.
“By ensuring you check package labels for added salt and sugars, and eat each in moderation, you can make sure the risks do not outweigh the benefits for your heart health.”
Fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut are rich in probiotics, the healthy bacteria produced during fermentation that can help support a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.
However, both are traditionally made using a lot of salt, which can raise blood pressure if eaten frequently or in large quantities. High blood pressure is known to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Kombucha, a fermented tea, also contains probiotics and can be a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks, but many commercial and shop-bought versions contain added sugar.
Eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular disease.
Fruit yoghurts can contain probiotic live bacteria cultures, but may also be high in sugar and have fewer live cultures than plain versions.
The charity said plain yoghurt with live and active cultures on the label can be a lower-sugar option, with whole fruit added at home for sweetness.
Smoothies made with whole fruits provide prebiotic fibre, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria and supports digestive health.
They can also provide vitamins and antioxidants, especially when made with a variety of plant-based ingredients.
But blending breaks down the structure of fruit, releasing free sugars that behave like added sugars in the body and can cause faster rises in blood sugar levels.
Regularly consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease.
The charity said only one 150ml serving of any smoothie counts towards five-a-day, and suggested adding nuts or seeds for extra protein and fibre to help keep blood sugar levels more stable.
The BHF also noted that some shop-bought sauerkraut is pasteurised, which removes most of the live bacteria.
It advised checking the label, eating small portions and choosing unpasteurised products for those seeking the probiotic benefits.
The charity said beneficial gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids during digestion, which are linked to reduced inflammation, better metabolism and better heart and circulatory health.
These good bacteria also help digest polyphenols, natural plant chemicals thought to have antioxidant properties and which may help lower blood pressure.
By contrast, harmful gut bacteria, which thrive on diets high in fat and red meat, produce chemicals that can cause problems in the heart and blood vessels by increasing inflammation and altering how cholesterol is processed in the body.
Beneficial bacteria thrive on varied diets high in prebiotics, non-digestible fibres found in foods such as wholegrains, oats, beans, lentils, bananas and onions.
People with diabetes may have undiagnosed heart failure that could be detected by a simple screening blood test, research suggests.
The TARTAN-HF trial found that one in four patients with diabetes who had at least one other risk factor for heart failure had undiagnosed heart failure detected through screening with a blood test and ultrasound scanning of the heart.
Experts said the findings show the extent of unrecognised heart failure in people with diabetes, and how the condition can be detected using a widely available blood test called NT-proBNP, which measures how much strain the heart is under.
They suggest a heart failure screening programme for diabetics could improve diagnosis rates, lead to earlier treatment and potentially reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death.
The study, involving 700 patients, was led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with AstraZeneca, Roche Diagnostics, Us2.ai, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire.
Dr Kieran Docherty, clinical senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow’s School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, said: “Our results from the landmark TARTAN-HF trial identified heart failure in a large proportion of people living with diabetes, emphasising the need for a heart failure screening strategy in this group of patients.
“We know that many of the symptoms and signs of heart failure are non-specific, and may go unrecognised as potentially being due to heart failure for a long time.
“The strategy used in our trial is simple and easy to implement in clinical practice, and will aid in the early identification of heart failure in people with diabetes, and facilitate the initiation of medications that we know improve outcomes in patients with heart failure.”
The study, which began more than three years ago, involved more than 700 people with diabetes from the two health board areas who had at least one other risk factor for heart failure.
They were randomly assigned either to receive heart failure screening or to continue with their usual care.
Researchers found screening uncovered a large number of previously unrecognised cases of heart failure. Around one in four, or 24.9 per cent, of those screened were found to have the condition within six months, compared with 1 per cent in the group continuing their usual care.
The study, involving patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, found almost all of the participants found to have heart failure had preserved ejection fraction, which can be difficult to detect without dedicated testing.
The findings of the TARTAN-HF trial were presented at the American College of Cardiology conference taking place from 28 to 30 March in New Orleans in the US.
Dr Edward Piper, medical director at AstraZeneca UK, said: “Delayed diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in people with type 2 diabetes contributes to poor long-term outcomes. TARTAN-HF demonstrates that targeted, risk-based screening can identify previously undiagnosed heart failure in approximately one in four high-risk patients with diabetes, enabling earlier intervention with guideline-directed therapy.”
Dr Christian Simon, head of global medical affairs at Roche Diagnostics, said: “We are proud to have supported the landmark TARTAN-HF trial. These findings demonstrate the transformative power of early, accessible diagnostics like the NT-proBNP blood test.
“By identifying unrecognised heart failure in people with diabetes, we enable clinicians to initiate appropriate treatments sooner, ultimately improving patient outcomes and lives.”
The UK has launched a £6.3m men’s health fund to back local projects aimed at helping men and boys live longer, healthier lives.
The Men’s Health Community Fund is a partnership between the Department of Health and Social Care, Movember and People’s Health Trust.
The government is contributing £3m, while the two charities are more than doubling that to take the total to £6.3m.
Grants will support community projects reaching underserved men and boys aged 16 and over, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas and at key points in their lives such as becoming a father, losing a job or retiring.
Projects could include support for new fathers, activities for men facing loneliness and social isolation, services to help young men engage with the health system, and support for men in work, out of work and moving into retirement.
The programme will bring together voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to test new ways of reaching men who are least likely to use traditional health services.
An evaluation funded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research will assess what works and help inform future policy and delivery.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: “Too many men across the country are living shorter, less healthy lives, particularly those in our most disadvantaged communities.
“This new partnership will help men get the support they need in the places they feel most comfortable, their communities, among people they trust.
“By working with expert charities and local organisations, we can reach the men who are too often missed by traditional services and help them take better care of their mental and physical health.”
“It is a key step in delivering our first ever Men’s Health Strategy and driving forward our ambition to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest areas.”
The Men’s Health Strategy sets out plans to tackle the physical and mental health challenges men and boys face.
Men can be less likely to seek help and more likely to suffer in silence, while higher rates of smoking, drinking, gambling and drug use are damaging men’s health and affecting families, workplaces and communities.
The government is also investing £3.6m over the next three years in suicide prevention projects for middle-aged men in local communities across areas of England where men are most at risk, many of which are also among the most deprived. Suicide is one of the biggest killers of men under 50, and three-quarters of all suicides are men.
The projects will aim to break down barriers middle-aged men face in seeking support, including stigma around asking for help and a lack of awareness of what is available and how to access it.
They will be co-designed with experts and men with lived experience of mental health crises and suicidal thoughts.
Gut-friendly foods may damage heart, charity warns
Diabetes patients face increased risk of undiagnosed heart failure
UK government announces £6.3m fund to boost men’s health
Brain health collaboratory launches in Gulf South
