Profiling Michael Greve's Fund, Kizoo Technology Ventures
Philanthropist and investor Michael Greve directs funds into advocacy, research, and commercial development of SENS-like projects aimed at repair of underlying mechanisms of aging. His Forever Healthy Foundation undertakes a range of useful activities, such as reviewing existing therapies that may address aspects of aging, and running the Undoing Aging conference series. His venture fund, Kizoo, has invested in a range of biotech companies developing interventions for aging, most of which are in some way connected to the SENS outline for rejuvenation biotechnology.
Kizoo is investing €300 million in a portfolio of private science-backed biotechnology companies which are working to tackle age-related diseases. The funds underline Kizoo's commitment to these startups with the aim of advancing therapies from clinical development to patient. Startup projects include the decalcification of aged tissue, breaking of protein-glucose cross-links, and the delivery of new mitochondria to aged cells. These aim to prevent and repair age-related conditions such as myocardial infarction, stroke, high blood pressure, tissue stiffening, skin ageing, and loss of muscle function.
It's a grand proposition, but owner Michael Greve is very clear on his pursuit of these goals. "It's a personal thing for me. You can look after your lifestyle but eventually you come to realise you can't diet yourself healthy forever. Sooner or later you'll be susceptible to age-related diseases due to the ageing process. This is how I became interested in this field. Basically, all my entrepreneurial energy shifted to this area - rejuvenation biotech."
Greve acknowledges that globally there has been a significant shift to learn more about age-related diseases (ARDs) and that we have reached the point where we can keep them under medical control. Of course, ARD is a broad clinical area - anything from osteoporosis to some forms of cancer. Greve explains that there are two paradigms that are similar. One is the hallmarks of ageing and the other is the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS) paradigm, which goes to the root of the issue. Greve and his team are working on the root causes to therefore prevent ARDs entirely.
Kizoo's strategy is to define this as a new sector in drug discovery. In order to drive this field, Kizoo makes what it calls 'lighthouse investments'. "These are part of our investment paradigm and are things that have never been done before but have the potential to become game-changers. We have several points that we want to prove with our investments. When we talk about age-related diseases and rejuvenation, many people think it's science fiction. We want to show this is not the case and that the reality of a pill or an injection to tackle the root cause is possible. We also want to demonstrate that it's going to be inexpensive and that the therapeutics will be for everybody. Finally, we want to make the public understand that what we are trying to do is uncomplicated."