Singapore (PinionNewswire) —
Immortal Dragons, the $40 million purpose-driven longevity fund, today announced its strategic investment in Etheros Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company developing a new class of drugs to combat diseases of aging and which may slow human aging itself. Etheros is focused on advancing water-soluble fullerene derivatives that act as catalytic antioxidants, designed to neutralize the oxidative stress implicated in cellular damage and age-related conditions.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS), or free radicals, are by-products of metabolism and are also produced by inflammation (e.g., “inflammaging”) ROS damage biological molecules. Oxidative damage is considered a contributor to aging and a wide array of diseases. Etheros’ compounds appear to solve potency and biodistribution problems that limited the effectiveness of previous anti-oxidant strategies.
A New Class of Antioxidant Therapeutics
Etheros’s approach is built on fullerene chemistry, a field of research that followed the 1985 discovery of the C60 carbon sphere, an achievement recognized with the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. While C60 is insoluble in water, Etheros has developed proprietary water-soluble derivatives for potential therapeutic use. These compounds possess a unique chemistry that allows them to function as mimics of the body’s antioxidant enzymes, primarily superoxide dismutase (SOD).
Unlike conventional antioxidants that are typically consumed in the process of neutralizing ROS, Etheros’s fullerene derivatives are catalytic, allowing a single molecule to neutralize thousands of ROS molecules per second. This mechanism of action, known as catalytic dismutation, appears much more potent than conventional anti-oxidant scavenging. The company’s lead compound has demonstrated a catalytic rate for superoxide removal that is within the range of other SOD mimetic compounds in development.
The foundational science for this platform, developed over years by the company’s founders, has shown promising results diverse models of disease. Early research demonstrated neuroprotective effects in models of familial ALS and Parkinson’s disease. One notable study in normal (“wild type”) mice showed a median lifespan extension of 14% when animals were dosed from middle age; very similar to lifespan extension from caloric restriction in the same study. Furthermore, elderly mice treated with the Etheros compound substantially outperformed untreated elderly mice in tests of learning and memory. Building on this work, Etheros is advancing its lead compound, which has established a wide safety margin in toxicology studies and has recently generated new data showing normalizing effects on behaviour and neuroinflammation in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
A Strategic Investment in a Foundational Mechanism of Aging
The investment in Etheros Pharmaceuticals aligns with Immortal Dragons’ strategy of targeting the fundamental mechanisms of aging. By addressing oxidative damage, Etheros is working on a process that contributes to numerous chronic illnesses, from neurodegeneration to cardiovascular disease and perhaps to aging itself.
“Immortal Dragons are both bold and thoughtful. That is a difficult mix to get right. And from a practical perspective, they have also been great to work with; really supportive.” said Dr. Jack Scannell, CEO of Etheros.
Boyang Wang, founder of Immortal Dragons, explained the strategic rationale: “Etheros represents an investment in a differentiated platform addressing oxidative stress through catalytic antioxidants. Their approach to this fundamental aspect of aging biology complements our portfolio strategy and contributes to our mission in the longevity space.”
Looking Forward
With this new funding, Etheros Pharmaceuticals will continue the development of its lead compound toward human clinical trials. The company’s strategy involves pursuing initial proof-of-concept in indications with clear biomarkers and clinical endpoints, while building a long-term platform for major age-related diseases.
Key upcoming milestones include completing the necessary regulatory studies for an Investigational New Drug (IND) filing, scaling up GMP manufacturing of their lead candidate, and developing biomarkers to measure drug activity in animal studies and human trials. This approach provides multiple paths to demonstrate the potential of their technology.
About Immortal Dragons
Immortal Dragons is a purpose-driven longevity fund headquartered in Singapore. The fund invests in cutting-edge, high-impact technologies and currently supports more than 15 portfolio companies. Beyond conventional investments, the fund advances longevity advocacy through book translation and publishing, translation of longevity leaders’ talks, hosting a leading Chinese-language longevity podcast, and providing sponsorships and grants to longevity initiatives and conferences.
Media Details:
Boyang Wang
Founder Immortal Dragons
press@id.life