Bezos-backed anti-aging project to be led by GSK Boffin – Reuters | News Today

It was announced this week that Hal Barron, a highly regarded American scientist, will join biotech start-up Altos Labs, leaving GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) after five years with the drugmaker.

The 59-year-old will now lead the San Francisco-based company, which focuses on the biology of cellular rejuvenation programming, with the aim of reversing disease.

Cellular programming has been shown to rejuvenate cells and may be the key to preventing and fighting diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, both of which are linked to aging.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Russian venture capitalist Yuri Milner are among those backing the private biotech company. Barron will move on to a startup that received $3 billion in funding in August.

The billionaire-backed company is currently in full hiring, following the funding announcement earlier in the week.

The company, which was incorporated in the US and UK last year, has operations in Silicon Valley and San Diego, California, as well as Cambridge, England.

Barron will remain on the GSK board as a non-executive director for three years.

He quits at a time of renewed pressure on the drugmaker. Activist investor Elliott Management, a New York-based hedge fund, encouraged the company to improve its operating and stock market performance

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