Retrobiosciences

Organization

A research group that partnered with OpenAI to experimentally validate the proteins predicted by the GPT-4B micro model, confirming their increased effectiveness in cellular rejuvenation.


entitydetail.created_at

8/31/2025, 4:31:55 AM

entitydetail.last_updated

8/31/2025, 5:04:33 AM

entitydetail.research_retrieved

8/31/2025, 4:38:14 AM

Summary

Retrobiosciences is a biotech company founded in 2021 with the ambitious mission to extend healthy human lifespan by 10 years. Headquartered in Redwood City, US, the company focuses on developing therapeutics for age-related diseases through various approaches including cellular reprogramming, protein engineering, plasma therapy, and autophagy. Notably, Retrobiosciences partnered with OpenAI, utilizing a specialized large language model, GPT-4B micro, to discover new proteins significantly more effective at cellular rejuvenation than existing Yamanaka factors, marking a major advancement in anti-aging therapeutics. The company received an initial US$ 180 million angel investment from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and is currently seeking to raise an additional US$ 1 billion to further its research and development, aiming to launch drug trials in the 2020s.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Founded

    2021

  • Mission

    Extend healthy human lifespan by 10 years

  • Industry

    Biotechnology Research, Healthcare

  • Focus Areas

    Cellular reprogramming, protein engineering, plasma therapy, autophagy, single-cell multi-omics, computational biology, lab automation, therapies for age-related diseases

  • Company Size

    51-200 employees

  • Headquarters

    Redwood City, US

  • Key Technology

    Specialized LLMs (GPT-4B micro) for protein discovery

  • Current Funding Goal

    US$ 1 billion

  • Initial Funding Type

    Angel

  • Initial Funding Amount

    US$ 180 million

Timeline
  • Retrobiosciences was founded. (Source: Web Search Results)

    2021

  • Received initial Angel funding of US$ 180 million from Sam Altman. (Source: Web Search Results)

    2022-05-06

  • Partnered with OpenAI to utilize a specialized large language model, GPT-4B micro, for discovering new proteins that are significantly more effective at cellular rejuvenation than Yamanaka factors. (Source: Related Document)

    Ongoing

  • Working on multiple projects targeting aging, including replacing dysfunctional microglia for neurodegenerative conditions and old blood stem cells. (Source: Web Search Results)

    Ongoing

  • Aims to launch trials for drugs targeting diseases like Alzheimer's and develop a drug. (Source: Web Search Results)

    Future (2020s)

  • Seeking to raise an additional US$ 1 billion in Series A funding. (Source: Web Search Results)

    Future

Web Search Results
  • Retro Biosciences company information, funding & investors

    In summary, Retro Biosciences is a forward-thinking biotech company dedicated to extending healthy human lifespan by tackling the cellular drivers of aging. With a robust pipeline and significant initial funding, the company is well-positioned to make groundbreaking advancements in the field of age-related disease prevention. Keywords: biotech, aging, therapeutics, cellular reprogramming, plasma therapy, autophagy, single-cell multi-omics, computational biology, lab automation, healthcare. [...] +− Leaflet| © OpenStreetMap contributors © CARTO More about Retro Biosciences Made with AI Edit Retro Biosciences is a pioneering biotech startup with a bold mission: to extend healthy human lifespan by ten years. The company operates in the healthcare and biotechnology market, focusing on the underlying causes of age-related diseases. Retro Biosciences aims to develop therapeutics that can prevent multiple diseases by targeting the cellular mechanisms of aging. [...] The company serves a diverse range of clients, including healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutions. By addressing the root causes of aging, Retro Biosciences aims to reduce the massive healthcare costs associated with age-related diseases, which account for around 90% of the $3 trillion spent annually in the U.S. healthcare system.

  • Sam Altman's Retro Biosciences Aims to Add a Decade to Human Life

    Founded in 2021, Retro Biosciences is developing biotechnology to combat aging and age-related diseases, using approaches like cellular reprogramming and protein engineering. Its bold aim to turn back the biological clock by a decade caught the attention of Altman, who initially invested $180 million in the startup. Retro is now seeking to raise an additional $1 billion from Altman, along with support from family offices, venture capital firms and sovereign wealth funds. [...] # Sam Altman-Backed Startup Aims to Add 10 Years to Human Life Through Stem Cell Tech ## Retro Biosciences is licensing groundbreaking stem cell tech as part of its mission to add 10 years to the human lifespan. Man in black blazer and white button up shirt [...] The average American can expect to live about 77 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retro Biosciences, a longevity startup backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, aims to raise that number to 87 through cutting-edge medical research. ## Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter Thank you for signing up!

  • Retro Biosciences | LinkedIn

    Retro Biosciences (2y): Retro is a mission-first company committed to extending healthy human lifespan by 10 years. We seek world-class scientists who fit our 5-dimensional culture: 1. Adventurous - More pirate than navy. We dive in and engineer around obstacles. 2. Direct and clear - Shortest path to close the loop. High signal to noise. Zero politics. 3. High-Performers - We are players not watchers. Driven. Mad skills without hubris. Best person for the role. 4. T-Shaped - Curiosity has [...] # Retro Biosciences We're Adding 10 Years to Healthy Human Lifespan Biotechnology Research • Redwood City • 12,032 followers • 51-200 employees ## Overview Retro develops therapies for diseases driven by the biology of aging. We focus on cellular reprogramming and autophagy to rejuvenate cell and tissue function with the ultimate aim of adding 10 years to healthy human lifespan. ### Website ### Crunchbase ### LinkedIn ### Industry Biotechnology Research [...] ### Company Size 51-200 employees 72 associated members (LinkedIn members who've listed Retro Biosciences as their current workplace on their profile) ### Founded N/A ### Funding Last Round Date: 2022-05-06T00:00:00.000Z Last Round Type: Angel Total Rounds: 1 Last Round Raised: US$ 180.0M ### Investors Sam Altman ### Specialties N/A ## Locations Redwood City, US ### Get Directions Directions

  • Retro Biosciences CEO Breaks Down Three Newly-Developed ...

    Along those lines, in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, microglia are in a terminal, inflammatory state. Thus, Retro Biosciences aims to treat Alzheimer’s disease and perhaps other neurodegenerative conditions by replacing dysfunctional, inflammation-prone microglia with young microglia. Betts-LaCroix did not give details on how Retro Biosciences plans to replace dysfunctional microglia with younger ones, likely because they have not been patented. [...] Finally, the third project that Betts-LaCroix talked about is one that again uses the second strategy described—replacing dysfunctional cells with younger ones. For this project, Retro Biosciences has come up with a technique to replace old blood stem cells with young blood stem cells. These blood stem cells produce all of the body’s blood cells—about 80% of the cells in our body. [...] Importantly, his startup company, Retro Biosciences, has already made some strides in its efforts to thwart the ravages of aging. Since Retro Biosciences’s inception in 2021, the company’s team has been working on multiple projects, all addressing different angles through which to prevent or slow aging. In a _Montgomery Summit_interview, Betts-LaCroix revealed information regarding three of these projects, each aimed at targeting aging with a unique strategy.

  • Retro Biosciences, backed by Sam Altman, is raising $1 billion to ...

    Skip to content In Brief Posted: Charles Rollet # Retro Biosciences, backed by Sam Altman, is raising $1 billion to extend human lifespan OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is doubling down on Retro Biosciences, a biotech startup based in San Francisco that wants humans to live 10 years longer than what it calls a healthy human lifespan. [...] Altman previously provided Retro Biosciences’ entire seed round of $180 million. Now, the startup is raising a $1 billion Series A that Altman is joining, the Financial Times reports. Retro Biosciences, which says it plans to launch trials for drugs targeting diseases like Alzheimer’s, recently trained a model with OpenAI to turn regular cells into stem cells. CEO Joe Betts-LaCroix told the FT he wants to move fast by discovering and developing a drug “in the 2020s.”