Venture Scoop: Funding the next gen of regenerative medicine to unwind aging

Biotech investments are often viewed as a simple cause-and-effect relationship: investing in medicine leads to better treatments, resulting in healthier patients. However, the impact of these investments is far more profound. The right biotech advancements have the potential to reshape society, transforming not just our approach to aging, but also how we relate to one another. 

Junaid Mian, a pharmacist of 25 years and Venture Partner at 1435 Capital Management which focuses on growth stage companies from Seed through Series C across multiple industries, reveals that the potential impact of biotech investments is much larger and far-reaching. These investments could reshape our entire approach to aging, health, and even intergenerational relationships.

An aging problem: "Globally, as populations age, we’re seeing more and more pressure on younger generations to support older ones," Junaid explains. He followed with the example that if older people are healthy, they contribute wisdom, experience, and productivity to society. "But when they get sick, they drain resources," he counters. "And if younger people have to take on the responsibility, they’ll do it for a while, but they won’t be able to sustain it forever."

The solution lies in biotech innovations that go beyond traditional medicine. "When COVID-19 overwhelmed hospitals, it showed how fragile our healthcare system can be when too many people need care at the same time," he reflects. "We need therapies that don’t just treat the symptoms but offer lasting solutions. I’ve seen many treatments, especially from my experience as a pharmacist, that don’t do much. But that’s changing. We’re seeing therapies that are permanent, more effective, and allow people to live healthy for much longer."

Healthspan vs. lifespan: At the heart of this transformation is the concept of healthspan, which Junaid distinguishes from lifespan. "Healthspan is known as quality of life, lifespan is known as quantity of life," he explains. The true goal, he argues, is achieving longevity that enhances quality of life, not just extends it. To achieve this, Junaid believes the key lies in regenerative medicine, gene therapy, and immunotherapy—biotech approaches that hold the potential to alter dramatically how we age.

AI and the future of drug discovery: AI is transforming biotech by accelerating drug discovery and revolutionizing medical experimentation. "The biggest breakthrough will be in silico testing," Junaid explains. This approach involves creating digital human models composed of thousands of genetic profiles. "Most human genes follow a bell curve—while individuals vary at the edges, the majority remain similar," he notes.

With these digital composites, scientists can conduct experiments that would be impossible or unethical in real life. "Animal testing has long been flawed—it doesn’t translate well to human biology. AI eliminates that need," Junaid says. AI-driven simulations will pave the way for more precise drug development, allowing researchers to explore treatments in unprecedented ways. "AI lets us test hypotheses we’ve only dreamed about," he adds.