Springcell Corporation

Age-related disorders, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neuronal degeneration diseases, are the leading causes of death in humans. Due to the limited understanding about the aging process, currently, these diseases are studied independently of each other and disconnected from aging. Pharmaceutical agents for an age-related disease are thus searched according to the current understanding about the specific single disease. Cures to age-related diseases remain unsuccessful. Our company approaches the problems by studying aging processes itself. We have found a novel mechanism in the aging process, in which, mitochondria play an important role in maintaining the cell cycle-arrested state in senescent or postmitotic cells. The nutrient/TOR pathway modulates mitochondrial biogenesis and turnover and thus maintain the cell-cycle arrested state. Since maintaining senescence of precancerous cells could block tumorigenesis and maintaining post mitotic cells could prevent degeneration diseases such as neuronal degeneration, this mechanism could be the primary mechanism of caloric restriction in prevention of age-related disorders. Based on these principles, we invented a method to identify and detect agents that stimulate mitochondria, maintain cell-cycle arrested state, and thus prevent tumorigenesis and degenerative diseases. Our goal is to identify of drug candidates using this method and develop them into clinic to prevent age-related diseases. A number of compounds have shown positive results using this assay, including well-known cancer prevention agents. We are looking for collaborators to develop these agents.