The Quest for Eternal Youth: How Longevity Biotech is Outpacing Science

Zoraide de Deus Mota, 104, Zulina de Deus Nunes, 103, and Levita de Deus Nunes, 109, are recognised as the world's oldest living trio of sisters, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 23, 2026. Basal human desires never change: to be positively unique, sexually desired, to live in luxury, to be popular, to hold power, and finally, to achieve immortality. The idea of eternal life can be found in almost every religious text, and even the world’s oldest surviving literary epic, the Epic of Gilgamesh, contains poems detailing Gilgamesh’s search for immortality after confronting the inevitability of death following the loss of his companion, Enkidu.

Nearly 4,000 years later, a hot microphone caught the presidents of Russia and China discussing whether advances in medicine and biotechnology might finally bring humanity closer to that ancient ambition. During the exchange, Russia’s Vladimir Putin spoke about advances in organ transplantation, while China’s Xi Jinping seemed cautiously optimistic, citing predictions that humans would be able to live up to 150 years of age this century. Russia has reportedly directed billions of dollars’ worth of funding towards organ transplantation research and regenerative medicine.

In an era where genetic engineering and biological manipulation are possible, where actual artificial intelligence exists and space travel is a reality, how close are we to extending the human lifespan, and what is the science behind it?

Unlike traditional pharmaceutical research, biotechnology uses biological systems themselves to tackle various problems, including medical treatments. Over the years, biotechnology has become integral to healthcare, with the cancer immunotherapy Keytruda as an example of its success. More recently, a subfield called longevity biotechnology has become incredibly fashionable, aiming to treat the underlying biological mechanisms of age-related diseases to increase healthspan or lifespan.

The idea of treating ageing or age-related illnesses is nothing new. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, is said to have died from suspected mercury poisoning in his search for the elixir of immortality. Alexander Bogdanov pioneered blood transfusions in the 1920s to slow the ageing process. Yet, in recent years, investment in longevity biotech has skyrocketed, with companies raising approximately $3.74bn in the first quarter of 2026 alone.

At the cellular and molecular levels, scientists now understand ageing within the context of twelve interconnected processes called the hallmarks of ageing. Researchers have identified numerous genes that regulate such processes, and manipulating them in animal models has improved measures of health and significantly extended lifespan.

This surge in investment is partly fueled by recent triumphs in the artificial intelligence industry and the financial success of obesity drugs. However, unlike obesity, ageing is a biological reality baked into our living systems. Manipulating it will likely bring significant side effects, and with the FDA not currently viewing ageing as a disease target, researchers face major regulatory and theoretical roadblocks ahead.