Ahead of Longevity Investors Conference, Andrea Maier talks industry standards, building out clinical practice and longevity matchmaking.
The Longevity Investors Conference (LIC) is set to return to the stunning Swiss town of Gstaad from 24th to 27th September, drawing an exclusive gathering of investors, scientists and entrepreneurs. This fifth edition promises an extended agenda packed with keynotes, panels and numerous networking opportunities. With a focus on cutting-edge innovations in healthspan, biotech and rejuvenation technologies, LIC aims to drive collaboration and spark dialogue between industry pioneers. Attendees will have the chance to engage with world-renowned longevity experts and dive deep into the latest scientific advancements shaping the future of healthy aging.
This year’s LIC stands out not only for its impressive lineup of speakers but also for its immersive experience, blending thought-provoking sessions with ample opportunities for relationship-building. From informal networking lunches to intimate evening receptions, the event fosters a unique atmosphere where participants can exchange insights, explore investment opportunities, and discuss emerging trends. With a growing emphasis on topics like AI applications in biohacking and the evolving longevity economy, LIC is poised to be a cornerstone event for the global longevity community, accelerating innovation and investment in the sector.
Longevity.Technology: Longevity is very much focused on prevention, being, of course, far better than cure! One of the keenly-anticipated presentations speaks to this: Longevity Clinics: The Next Frontier in Preventive Care, which will be presented by Professors Andrea Maier and Evelyne Bischof. We sat down with Oon Chiew Seng Professor in Medicine, Healthy Ageing and Dementia Research at National University of Singapore and Co-Director Centre for Healthy Longevity, Andrea B Maier to discuss the conference and more.
Andrea Maier on…
Asia and the longevity space
Singapore has the highest life expectancy with Japan and Switzerland, but what we see in Singapore is that there’s not only a consumer drive, which we see worldwide, but there’s also a huge investment from the government, which is really now facing a huge problem with a low fertility rate and a high lifespan, and is really investing now into prevention.
And I think Singapore is unique and quite different also from other Asian countries, and that leads to a huge amount of investment, not only into research, but also in other domains here in Singapore, and I’m very pleased to represent Asia at the conference.
Singapore’s gap between healthspan and lifespan is, I think, the same as everywhere in the world. And that’s what we are trying to tighten up. So lots of preventative programs are being rolled out in Singapore. But we also see worldwide, for example, in a couple of countries in the Middle East, but also now in Europe and in the US, that, at least, pitches within these countries are now saying, OK, could we have a different approach? Should we optimize the health of individuals to prevent an age-related disease, which occurs later in life, so really tackling the health of individuals in middle life, and should we invest in that? So there are absolutely countries next to Singapore investing in a new arena of healthcare.
People can either invest in preclinical research or early drug development, but also implement already-existing technologies which the consumers are really waiting for! I think what is missing a little in Singapore, is really that early stage investment, which I see much more in America. But overall, I would say taking a step back, I compare the longevity market to five to 10 years ago, there’s been a huge investment. And I think nobody would have predicted so much investment in our fields in 10 years ago.
Clinical acceptance of what’s going on in longevity
If you would ask my fellow physicians, I think they still do not accept that we should invest much, much more into prevention – it’s a very conservative domain in clinical practice. If you ask consumers, we already know that they want a new arena of healthcare. They want to prevent deterioration of their physical function, they want to be happy, they want to be productive.
I think we cannot neglect any more the amount of evidence in terms of how we measure things and how we can intervene the body. This means also, that we can, in my view, implement this into clinical practice. We have to start in a very evidence-based way, academically driven, to then change the healthcare system from inside out – so being based in hospitals.
Longevity is happening now
It’s happening at this moment in time in humans – so that’s very exciting already! Drilling a little bit down, what I’m most excited about, and I think there’s a huge potential is the matchmaking between measuring something and doing something very specific, which is relevant to that individual. So with the biomarker of aging, we have the diagnostic phase, so we can diagnose what kind of type of aging is going on in an individual, and that’s very important because then we can matchmake it with a certain intervention to be very specific to that individual.
We really need to invest into understanding the mechanisms of aging much, better. We have lots of trials now around the world with repurposed drugs, but I think testing small molecules and new molecules will really be a game changer. Now we are at the phase of really testing. Can we do it? How much is the effect size? How much can we really manipulate the aging process? And waiting for the new molecules, which might be much, much more potent? We are really changing from doing randomized control trials where you always have a big group, to a personalized neuro -medicine approach where we do an N=1 approach. So an individual is their own control and we are really titrating what we do to the phenotype of the individual, which means that we are really moving the needle into a precision geromedicine approach. So I think that’s really the future, because we as human beings, as individuals, we are very unique and understanding the uniqueness is very important to be most successful.
Don’t miss out!
The Longevity Investors Conference 2024 is a key event for those looking to stay at the forefront of the rapidly-evolving longevity space. The conference offers the perfect environment to gain a deeper understanding of the field, discover the latest breakthroughs and make meaningful connections with leading figures in the industry.
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