Life Biosciences

Life Biosciences is a privately held biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, focused on developing medicines intended to address aging and diseases associated with aging. The company was founded in 2017 by David Sinclair, a Harvard Medical School professor known for research into the biological mechanisms of aging. Its scientific approach centers on epigenetic medicine: rather than treating aging-related decline solely through conventional symptom management, the company seeks to influence biological processes that regulate gene activity and cellular identity. The company’s publicly identified investigational program is ER-100, an adeno-associated viral vector therapy designed for optic neuropathies. The program is intended to express Yamanaka factors, transcription factors associated with cellular reprogramming, with the proposed goal of modifying DNA methylation states and restoring aspects of youthful cellular function. The approach reflects Life Biosciences’ broader interest in interventions that may reverse or repair age-related biological damage rather than merely slow the progression of individual diseases. In early 2026, the United States Food and Drug Administration cleared Life Biosciences to begin testing ER-100 in people with optic neuropathies, including certain forms of glaucoma and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. This regulatory clearance marked a significant development for the company because it moved an epigenetic reprogramming concept into clinical testing for human eye disease. The program remains investigational, and the available reference material does not establish its clinical efficacy, commercial availability, approval status, or long-term safety. Life Biosciences operates in the biotechnology and biopharmaceutical sector, with a research profile concentrated on aging biology, epigenetic regulation, gene-delivery technology, and age-related disease. Publicly available information supplied for this entry does not identify a parent company, public-market listing, commercial product portfolio, or broader operating footprint. Its present identity is therefore primarily that of a private clinical-stage biotechnology company rather than a consumer-facing healthcare brand.

Life Biosciences was established in 2017 by David Sinclair, a Harvard Medical School professor whose research has examined the molecular basis of aging and the possibility of restoring youthful cellular states. From its beginning, the company was organized around the proposition that aging-related disease could be addressed through biological interventions that affect fundamental regulatory mechanisms rather than only treating downstream symptoms. The company’s stated scientific focus is epigenetic medicine. Epigenetics concerns regulatory systems that influence gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence. One mechanism of interest is DNA methylation, a chemical marking system involved in controlling gene activity and cellular identity. Aging is associated with changes in epigenetic patterns, and Life Biosciences has pursued the idea that carefully controlled reprogramming could restore some characteristics of younger cells while preserving their specialized functions. This strategy is connected to the use of Yamanaka factors, a group of transcription factors capable of reprogramming mature cells toward a more embryonic-like state. Complete cellular reprogramming can erase cellular identity, so a therapeutic application requires controlled delivery and dosing. Life Biosciences’ ER-100 program is described as using an adeno-associated viral vector to express Yamanaka factors in the eye. The proposed mechanism is to alter DNA methylation states and potentially improve the function of cells affected by age-related optic nerve disease. The company’s first publicly identified clinical direction is optic neuropathy rather than a generalized anti-aging treatment. ER-100 is being developed for conditions that include certain forms of glaucoma and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Focusing on a defined ophthalmic indication provides a disease-specific setting in which the safety, delivery, biological activity, and potential therapeutic effect of epigenetic reprogramming can be evaluated. In early 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared Life Biosciences to begin testing ER-100. The clearance represented a transition from predominantly preclinical research toward human clinical investigation. It did not constitute marketing approval, establish effectiveness, or demonstrate that the therapy can safely reverse age-related damage. The available reference material does not provide clinical-trial results, commercial launch information, financing details, additional product programs, or a complete account of the company’s leadership. Based on the supplied sources, Life Biosciences remains an active private biopharmaceutical company centered on translational research in aging, epigenetics, and age-related disease.

• 2026

  ER-100 cleared for clinical testing

  [1]Life Biosciencesen.wikipedia.org

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the company to begin testing ER-100, an investigational adeno-associated viral vector therapy for optic neuropathies.

• 2017

  Life Biosciences founded

  [1]Life Biosciencesen.wikipedia.org

  Life Biosciences was founded in Boston by Harvard Medical School professor David Sinclair as a biopharmaceutical company focused on aging biology and age-related disease.

A longevity-focused biotechnology company translating aging and epigenetic research into investigational treatments for age-related diseases.

• Investigational gene-delivery therapy · 2026

  ER-100

  ER-100 is an investigational adeno-associated viral vector drug developed for optic neuropathies, including certain types of glaucoma and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. The proposed therapy is designed to express Yamanaka factors in order to modify DNA methylation states and potentially restore aspects of cellular function affected by aging. The program received U.S. FDA clearance to begin testing in early 2026; no approval, efficacy result, or commercial availability is established by the supplied sources.

• 2026

  Advance ER-100 into human testingProduct launch

  Background

  Life Biosciences sought to translate its epigenetic reprogramming research into a clinical program for optic neuropathies, including certain glaucoma conditions and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

  Action taken

  Following U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance, the company began moving ER-100, an adeno-associated viral vector therapy designed to express Yamanaka factors, into clinical testing.

  Aftermath

  The decision made ER-100 a human-investigational program, but the supplied sources do not report clinical outcomes, regulatory approval for sale, or commercial launch.

  Source

• 2026

  FDA clears Life Biosciences to begin testing ER-100 for optic neuropathies[1]Life Biosciencesen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Regulation

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared Life Biosciences to begin clinical testing of ER-100, an investigational adeno-associated viral vector therapy proposed for optic neuropathies including certain types of glaucoma and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

1. 1Life Biosciencesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Life Biosciences Appoints Seasoned Biopharma Executive Jerry McLaughlin as CEOprnewswire.com