Companies harness AI to identify drugs that target mitochondrial dysfunction and address the underlying causes of metabolic conditions.
Longevity biotech Yuva Biosciences has inked a development and license agreement with Northstrive Biosciences aimed at advancing pharmaceutical therapies for obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases by targeting mitochondrial dysfunction. The agreement provides YuvaBio with upfront and milestone payments as well as royalties on future sales of therapeutic products developed using the identified compounds.
The collaboration will leverage YuvaBio’s MitoNova AI platform, which is designed to focus on mitochondrial science at the cellular level. The tiny mitochondria in our bodies generate the majority of cellular energy and their decline is associated with reduced vitality and a variety of health issues.
YuvaBio’s platform integrates in silico modeling, virtual compound screening and experimental validation to identify compounds that promote mitochondrial health. The two companies intend to harness MitoNova to identify and develop novel small molecule drug candidates that address the underlying causes of metabolic conditions.
The collaboration will involve the development of a shared compound library focused on mitochondrial biology. YuvaBio will use its AI tools to identify candidate compounds and evaluate them in lab-based custom assays for biological activity. These discoveries will then be licensed exclusively to Northstrive for further development into therapeutic products targeting cardiometabolic diseases and obesity.
“Declining mitochondrial function not only accelerates aging but also plays a central role in numerous age-related disorders and other pathologies such as obesity,” said YuvaBio CEO Greg Schmergel. “With this collaboration, we will be leveraging our proprietary AI to discover compounds that are mitochondrial promoters and protectors and verify the findings with experimental wet lab testing.”
Northstrive, a subsidiary of PMGC Holdings, is focused on the development of so-called “aesthetic medicines” and is advancing a lead asset, EL-22, which uses an engineered probiotic to address muscle loss during weight reduction therapies, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. Through its partnership with YuvaBio, Northstrive aims to enhance its cardiometabolic pipeline with novel therapeutic agents rooted in mitochondrial science.
“We are believers in leveraging AI to guide our drug development efforts and view mitochondrial health as a foundational pillar,” said Northstrive co-founder Deniel Mero. “YuvaBio is the ideal partner for this collaboration, and we expect it to lead to the identification of several novel targets that may form the basis of differentiated cardiometabolic drug programs.”
This strategic collaboration is positioned to integrate advanced artificial intelligence with deep biological insights to accelerate the discovery of new drugs that target the root causes of aging and metabolic disease.
YuvaBio’s scientific foundation stems from the work of its founder, Dr Keshav K Singh, whose research demonstrated that restoring mitochondrial function can reverse visible signs of aging such as wrinkled skin and hair loss. This research laid the groundwork for the company’s launch in 2019 and continues to inform its therapeutic strategies.
Last year, YuvaBio secured $7.5 million in seed funding and landed a key consumer partnership for its topical skin and hair treatment targeting mitochondrial dysfunction. The Alabama-based company joined forces with hair restoration specialist BosleyMD on the launch of a new “densifying foam” product incorporating YuvaBio’s Y100 technology, an active ingredient claims to boost mitochondrial health and function, reversing visible signs of aging.
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