Unity Biotechnology
{{Short description|American biotechnology company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Unity Biotechnology, Inc.
| logo = File:Unity Biotechnology logo.svg
| type = Public
| industry = Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical
| fate =
| traded_as = {{Unbulleted list|{{NASDAQ|UBX}}|Russell 2000 component}}
| predecessor = Forge, Inc.
| successor =
| founded = {{start date and age|2011}} in California, U.S.
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Judith Campisi| Jan van Deursen| Nathaniel David| Daohong Zhou}}
| defunct =
| hq_location_city = South San Francisco, California
| hq_location_country = United States
| area_served =
| key_people =
| products =
| owner =
| num_employees = 70
| num_employees_year = 2018
| parent =
| website = {{URL|unitybiotechnology.com}}
}}
Unity Biotechnology, Inc. is a publicly traded American biotechnology company that develops drugs that target senescent cells.{{cite news |last=Brueck|first=Hilary|date=3 February 2016|title=Mayo Clinic Taps Silicon Valley to Help People Age Gracefully|url=http://fortune.com/2016/02/03/mayo-unity-biotechnology-anti-aging/|work=Fortune|access-date=19 February 2018}}{{cite news |last=Detrixhe|first=John|date=21 February 2018|title=Crypto millionaires are funding research to reverse the aging process |url=https://qz.com/1212040/crypto-millionaires-like-vitalik-buterin-are-funding-research-to-reverse-aging-especially-the-sens-research-foundation/|work=Quartz (publication)|access-date=19 February 2018}}{{cite news |last=Herkewitz|first=William|date=19 February 2018|title=Scientists Can Now Radically Expand the Lifespan of Mice—and Humans May Be Next|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a19277/scientists-can-now-radically-expand-the-lifespan-of-mice-are-humans-next/|work=Popular Mechanics|access-date=19 February 2018}}{{cite news |last=Ramsey|first=Lydia|date=10 November 2016|title=A biotech startup that aims to rid our bodies of cells related to aging just got a big investment|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/startup-to-stop-aging-unity-biotechnology-2016-11|work=Business Insider|access-date=19 February 2018}}{{cite journal |last1=Baker|first1=Darren|date=11 February 2016|title=Naturally occurring p16Ink4a-positive cells shorten healthy lifespan|journal=Nature|volume= 530|issue= 7589|pages= 184–189|doi=10.1038/nature16932|pmid=26840489|pmc=4845101}}
History
Unity BioTechnologies, a company backed by Jeff Bezos and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel,{{Cite web |last=Zaleski |first=Andrew |date=2018-08-29 |title=Why Jeff Bezos is backing this Silicon Valley scientist who is working on a cure for aging |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/29/jeff-bezos-backs-silicon-valley-scientist-working-on-a-cure-for-aging.html |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=CNBC |language=en}} was co-founded in March 2009 by Nathaniel David, Jan Van Deursen, Judith Campisi, and Daohong Zhou.{{Cite web |title=UBX {{!}} Unity Biotechnology Inc. Company Profile & Executives - WSJ |url=https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/UBX/company-people |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=www.wsj.com}}
The company was founded under the name Forge, Inc., but changed its name to Unity BioTechnologies in January 2015.{{Cite web |title=S-1 |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463361/000119312518108850/d535851ds1.htm#:~:text=We%20were%20founded%20on%20March,(650)%20416-1192. |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=www.sec.gov}}
Anirvan Ghosh joined Unity in 2020 as the company’s CEO. That same year, Nathaniel stepped down as president but remained a member of the board.{{Cite web |last=Leuty |first=Ron |date=15 December 2020 |title=Founder steps down from president job at aging-fighting biotech |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2020/12/15/aging-unity-biotechnology-nathaniel-ned-david.html |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}
On May 3, 2018, the company went public on the Nasdaq exchange, raising $85 million at a market capitalization of $700 million.{{Cite news |last=CNBC |date=2018-05-02 |title=UNITY Biotechnology, Inc. Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering of Common Stock |work=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/02/globe-newswire-unity-biotechnology-inc-announces-pricing-of-initial-public-offering-of-common-stock.html |access-date=2018-10-12}} Unity Biotechnology shares dropped 60% on August 17, 2020, after the company reported disappointing results from a clinical trial involving its then lead drug candidate, UBX0101, in patients with moderate-to-severe painful osteoarthritis.{{Cite news |date=2020-08-17 |title=Buzzy anti-aging biotech Unity drops leading program after flop, shares in freefall |url=https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/buzzy-anti-ageing-biotech-unity-drops-leading-program-after-flop-shares-freefall}}
Products
The company's products in development include UBX1325, which targets Bcl-xL, a mechanism to eliminate senescent cells in age-related eye diseases (in Phase 2 clinical trials for diabetic macular edema as of October 2023).{{Cite web |date=2023-06-22 |title=Design for Phase 2B ASPIRE Study of UBX1325 for DME announced by UNITY |url=https://www.modernretina.com/view/design-for-phase-2b-aspire-study-of-ubx1325-for-dme-announced-by-unity |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=Modern Retina |language=en}} In July 2022, the company reported positive results from its Phase 1 study.{{Cite web |last=Bankhead |first=Charles |date=2022-07-14 |title='Senolytic' Therapy Shows Promise in Neovascular Eye Disease |url=https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/asrs/99734 |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=www.medpagetoday.com |language=en}} In April 2023, the company then reported results from its Phase 2 study demonstrating that a single injection of UBX1325 resulted in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in vision through 48 weeks.{{Cite news |last=Garth |first=Eleanor |date=2023-05-10 |title=Getting comfortable with senotherapeutics |language=en-GB |work=Longevity.Technology - Latest News, Opinions, Analysis and Research |url=https://longevity.technology/news/getting-comfortable-with-senotherapeutics/ |access-date=2023-10-17}} They also include UBX 1967, a preclinical product targeting ophthalmologic diseases.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463361/000119312518108850/d535851ds1.htm|title=S-1|website=www.sec.gov|access-date=2018-10-12}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.biospace.com/article/ppl4-longevity-company-unity-biotechnology-stocks-soared-after-ceo-talks-to-cnbc/|title=Longevity Company Unity Biotechnology Stocks Soared After CEO Talks to CNBC {{!}} BioSpace|work=BioSpace|access-date=2018-10-12|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Unity Biotechnology to focus on senolytic programs in ophthalmology, neurology|url=https://www.healio.com/news/ophthalmology/20200917/unity-biotechnology-to-focus-on-senolytic-programs-in-ophthalmology-neurology|access-date=2020-12-08|website=www.healio.com}} Both products are senolytic medicines.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://unitybiotechnology.com/ Official website]
Category:Biotechnology companies of the United States
Category:Pharmaceutical companies established in 2011
Category:Biotechnology companies established in 2011
Category:Companies based in South San Francisco, California