A Chinese biotech startup said it might have actually found the secret to long life.
Lonvi Biosciences claims that its new pill could extend human life beyond the usual lifespan.
The Shenzhen-based company, backed by China’s booming longevity sector, says it has developed a pill that could, in theory, extend human life to 150 years.
The research underlined that the company’s new formula targeted so-called ‘Zombie-cells ’-ageing cells that refuse to die, triggering inflammation and age-related disease.
Chief Technology Officer Lyu Qinghua of Lonvi Biosciences said, “Living to 150 is definitely realistic,” he further added, "In a few years, this will be the reality."
Lyu also suggested that such technologies could become part of our everyday life in the near future.
Lonvi Biosciences is just one of many Chinese labs that have been working for years on developing anti-ageing treatments.
Lonvi's drug is based on procyanidin C1 (PCC1) - a molecule derived from grape seeds that has previously demonstrated the ability to extend the lifespan of laboratory mice.
According to the company, rodents receiving PCC1 lived on average 9.4% longer, and when therapy was started on the first day of life, 64.2% longer.
Lonvi CEO Ip Zhu called this development the ‘Holy Grail,’ emphasising that the drug's key component cannot only extend life but also reduce the risk of age-related diseases by acting at the cellular level.
