OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is heavily investing in Retro Biosciences, a San Francisco-based biotech startup aiming to extend human lifespan by 10 years beyond what is considered healthy.
Altman initially provided Retro Biosciences with a $180 million seed round and is now participating in the startup’s $1 billion Series A funding round, according to the Financial Times.
Retro Biosciences is focusing on developing drugs for diseases like Alzheimer’s and recently collaborated with OpenAI to use AI models to transform regular cells into stem cells.
CEO Joe Betts-LaCroix is determined to expedite the discovery and development of a drug within this decade, as stated in the FT interview.
Retro Biosciences is entering the field of longevity research alongside other ventures supported by billionaires, such as Altos Labs and Unity Biotechnology, which have received significant funding from Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel.
