Key points from article :
A new wave of longevity biotechnology is gaining momentum as Junevity, a San Francisco–based startup, secures an additional $10 million in funding, bringing its total seed round to $20 million. The company, founded in 2023 out of UCSF, is developing therapies that use siRNA molecules to selectively silence transcription factors—key genetic regulators that go awry as we age. While the article does not specify a lead author or journal, the announcement highlights how Junevity aims to reverse cellular dysfunction in age-related diseases by resetting disrupted gene networks.
Junevity’s lead candidate, JUN_01, is designed to target a transcription factor linked to metabolic dysfunction, insulin signaling, and appetite regulation. Backed by new investment from Goldcrest Capital and Godfrey Capital, the company plans to advance JUN_01 through preclinical safety studies with the goal of entering first-in-human clinical trials in late 2026. The concept builds on research led by co-founder Dr Janine Sengstack, who showed that repressing a single transcription factor in human cells could restore a more youthful, healthy gene expression profile.
Unlike partial cellular reprogramming approaches based on Yamanaka factors, Junevity focuses on precision silencing using siRNA—an approach made increasingly feasible by advances in machine learning and RNA interference. These tools allow researchers to map complex transcription-factor networks and design siRNA drugs capable of modulating them with high specificity.
Preclinical data suggest that JUN_01 can rejuvenate metabolic tissues, lowering blood glucose, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and inducing fat-specific weight loss while preserving muscle mass. Notably, the therapy might avoid some of the drawbacks of GLP-1 drugs—such as tolerability issues, weight regain, and muscle loss—while requiring dosing only twice a year.
Junevity’s long-term vision extends well beyond metabolic disease. Its platform aims to “reset” cellular states across multiple tissues affected by aging, including those involved in neurodegenerative disease, muscle wasting, and osteoarthritis—marking a broader push toward therapies that restore cellular homeostasis and improve healthspan.
