Fast-moving startup is taking a multidisciplinary approach to leverage epigenetic rejuvenation against multiple age-related diseases.
British biotech startup 199 Biotechnologies is the latest player to enter the wild world of epigenetic reprogramming, as it seeks to harness the power of the technology to target age-related and chronic diseases. The London-based company, which recently secured $6.5 million in seed funding, is on a mission to tackle the root cause of aging through innovative therapies designed to reverse changes to the epigenome.
Epigenetic changes are modifications to our DNA that regulate whether certain genes are turned on or off, and these changes increase with age, leading to reduced cellular resilience, immune function decline and increased susceptibility to disease. By combining bioengineering, AI, microfluidics and genetics, 199 Bio is developing reprogramming technologies intended to reverse these epigenetic alterations, with the goal of restoring cellular function and tackling chronic diseases at their root.
Longevity.Technology: In 2006, Professor Shinya Yamanaka made the Nobel Prize winning discovery that an adult cell could be reverted back into an embryonic stem cell by exposing them to a key group of protein transcription factors. Yamanaka’s groundbreaking work was just the beginning, as researchers across the world sought to harness the potential of transcription factors to reverse cellular aging via epigenetic reprogramming. 199 Bio is the latest company to enter a global race to harness the potential of the technology to reverse disease, improve healthspan and, ultimately, extend human lifespan. To learn more about the company’s approach, we caught up with its founder and CEO, Boris Djordjevic.
Since launching last year, 199 Bio has grown rapidly, boasting a core team of 25, including 12 lab-based researchers, and is already in large mammal studies for some of its programs. Driven by the team’s personal experiences with family members, the company’s key areas of focus include cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, microvasculature rejuvenation and ovarian aging.
“The Yamanaka factors have essentially revealed a ‘cheat code’ in biology,” says Djordjevic, who reveals the company is also conducting work in FSHD, a rare form of muscular dystrophy, in collaboration with high-profile FSHD campaigner Lululemon founder Chip Wilson.
“We’re leveraging the factors as a fundamental tool to address gene expression issues across various diseases. It’s a powerful approach that acts on practically the whole epigenome.”
‘Moral imperative’ to accelerate translation
While Djordjevic acknowledges that there are some inherent risks associated with a new technology like cellular reprogramming, he believes there is a “moral imperative” to accelerate the translation of research into new treatments.
“Many patients, including my own family members, can’t afford to wait 5-10 years for new therapies to become available,” he says. “We’re committed to bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and patient care. While there are risks, such as teratomas in partial reprogramming, we believe these can be managed, especially when weighed against the potential benefits for patients with limited options.”
With a key focus on quickly moving from lab to clinic, 199 Bio is looking to conduct significant work in China, while it conducts its regulatory processes in other markets. Djordjevic says the company is on a trajectory to enter its first human trials within two years.
“In China, we’re aiming to start a phase one human trial within 12 to 24 months,” he says. “This is remarkably fast, considering we’ll be conducting toxicology, safety, and non-human primate studies within months.”
Being first to market is key
Having already entered a collaboration with Beijing’s Tiantan Hospital, a leading brain cancer research center, 199 Bio is aiming to tap into China’s large patient pool and the potential for an accelerated clinical trials process. Djordjevic says that the company’s emphasis on speed means it is less focused on ensuring that its IP is completely watertight.
“Being first to market is crucial,” says Djordjevic. “Look at Ozempic – it’s become a household name despite other drugs being potentially better. We’re focusing on progress and helping patients rather than getting bogged down in IP considerations.”
In order to achieve its goals, 199 Bio is leaving no stone unturned, and is exploring the potential of multiple therapeutic platforms to enable cellular reprogramming – from mRNA and cell therapy approaches to ex vivo reprogramming and even organ-on-a-chip technologies. The company has appointed a legal expert to help it develop its IP strategy, particularly when it comes to delivery systems, which may well involve working with other companies in the space.
“We’re agnostic about whether we use mRNA or viral vectors to introduce epigenetic reprogramming factors directly into cells, and we are working with both technologies,” says Djordjevic. “Of course, reprogramming cells outside the body may work better for generating personalized treatments and reducing immune rejection risks. These are all potential avenues we are exploiting, and we are open to collaborations.”
While its goals are no doubt ambitious, 199 Bio is assembling a team capable of delivering, and already boasts Professor João Pedro de Magalhães, Chair of Molecular Biogerontology at the University of Birmingham, among its scientific advisors. Ultimately, says Djordjevic, it’s all about getting potentially life-saving new therapies to the patients who so urgently need them.
“Think about people with late-stage cancer and advanced neurodegenerative diseases – they should be able to access these therapies sooner,” he adds. “Why deprive them of access, while scientists are trying to get more grants. It’s worth the risk.”
