The recent news about NewLimit, a longevity pharma startup co-founded by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and former Google Ventures partner with a Stanford Ph.D., Blake Byers, has caught the attention of many technology enthusiasts and crypto investors alike. The startup successfully raised $40 million in Series A funding from a group of prominent investors, including Dimension, Founders Fund, Kleiner Perkins, Eric Schmidt, Elad Gil, Garry Tan, and Fred Ehrsam. Prior to this, NewLimit raised $110 million from Byers and Armstrong in 2021, and these funds are to be committed over the company’s lifetime.
The fascinating aspect of this story lies in the fact that cryptocurrency and blockchain technology could play a role in extending the human lifespan. NewLimit’s research focuses on “curing aging” by utilizing epigenetic reprogramming to restore the regenerative capabilities that humans have during their youth but gradually lose as they grow older.
Despite the seemingly far-fetched notion of extending human healthspan, NewLimit holds steadfast to its vision and cites instances where old skin cells from animals have been successfully turned into younger, rejuvenated cells. The eventual goal of this innovative research is to develop therapies that could not only slow down, halt, or even reverse the aging process, but also treat or prevent diseases associated with aging, such as fibrosis, infectious, and neurodegenerative diseases.
While Armstrong maintains his primary role as an investor and board member at NewLimit, he emphasizes the potential application of this research in improving the overall quality of people’s lives. “Imagine if you could live the same number of years, but be free from pain, and have the same mobility and cognition as someone in their thirties,” Armstrong said last year.
Although skeptics might question the feasibility of NewLimit’s ambitious goal, the company’s early-stage success is evident in the considerable support it has garnered from prominent venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in the technology and finance industries. This reflects a growing interest in exploring the convergence of science and technology to tackle some of humankind’s most pressing challenges.
In conclusion, NewLimit’s recent funding and their plan to “cure aging” through epigenetic reprogramming highlight the potential intersection of cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and life sciences research. As the company continues to make progress in developing therapies that reprogram cell age, it is worth considering the broader implications of this research for human health, radical life extension, and the socio-economic landscape in the age of cryptocurrency and blockchain. Time will tell if NewLimit’s ambitious vision is attainable or better left as a compelling concept. Regardless, the company’s potential impact on the future of healthcare and technology is undeniable and warrants further investigation by crypto enthusiasts and technology aficionados alike.
Source: Cryptonews