The Million Molecule Challenge for Life Extension [Longevity Summit Dublin]

The potency of therapeutics able to extend maximum healthy lifespan in mammals has stagnated, despite the explosive growth of the longevity sector: no new solution has outperformed calorie restriction by this measure in the nearly 40 years since its discovery. Matt Kaeberlein attributed this in part to a cautious focus on recognised biological pathways, and introduced his four-year project for an ultra-large-scale screen – the “million molecule challenge” – to detect novel healthspan-promoting agents that may inspire entirely new classes of interventions.