Biotech firms now eye artificial intelligence to tackle ageing challenges. METiS TechBio is leading charge. Beijing-based start-up, founded six years back, just raised US$269.5 million in a Hong Kong IPO . Big names like BlackRock and UBS Asset Management Singapore put in US$148 million.
Lai Tsai-ta, CEO of METiS TechBio,compares ageing to software bugs piling up over time. He thinks genetic errors can be reprogrammed. AI might read,rewrite,even reverse cellular ageing. “Those errors can be reprogrammed. It becomes possible to use AI to read,rewrite and reverse cells, or at least slow the ageing process,” Lai said.
Company's zeroed in on boosting immune cells, especially T cells,which lose function as people age. This decline ups disease risk,including cancer . METiS TechBio uses AI algorithms to create nano-delivery platforms targeting specific cells and organs for drug delivery.
Field's still new,but advancements are visible. The United States leads global market for cellular reprogramming, with 57 percent of longevity companies and 84 percent of deal volume,says a 2024 Longevity Technology report. Global investments in longevity hit US$8.49 billion. Interest in fighting ageing is on the rise…
