Validated scientific mechanisms and robust data are more important than hype for successful longevity investing, according to comments made by LongeVC executives on Mar. 23. Sergey Jakimov, managing partner at LongeVC, said that early excitement about longevity in biotech faded not because of weak science but due to start-ups lacking focused strategies. He explained that many companies treated slowing aging as a broad goal instead of targeting specific age-related conditions that can be measured and regulated.
Jakimov said longevity should be viewed as the investigation of underlying mechanisms across several age-related disease categories to impact more patients and extend lifespan. Artem Trotsyuk, U.S. operating partner at LongeVC, added that since aging is not classified as a disease by regulatory authorities, companies must develop treatments for recognized age-related conditions using standard clinical development approaches.
Trotsyuk said it is important for longevity firms to "speak the FDA language" like any other biotech company by designing trials with measurable endpoints and clear post-approval requirements. Jakimov agreed that start-ups should pursue specific disease targets rooted in aging biology and validate their approach with traditional drug development standards.
The executives pointed to GLP-1 agonists as an example of success in this space. Jakimov called them "the first successful longevity product," noting how they started with diabetes before expanding into obesity and now show potential benefits for cardiovascular, kidney, and Alzheimer's diseases. Trotsyuk noted GLP-1 programs succeeded because they targeted specific mechanisms early on—something not possible when aiming broadly at aging itself.
Both experts advised start-ups to focus their pitches on clear stories supported by strong data rather than popular trends or buzzwords. They cautioned against platforms lacking defined drug products or realistic timelines for regulatory approval and business development cycles.
Jakimov concluded that while healthspan endpoints may eventually gain recognition from regulators and payers, "the path to real longevity currently runs straight through classic biotech discipline."
