With the longevity economy comes more opportunities

For the first time in history, the over-50s have overtaken the under-15s and by 2030, one billion people will be over 65. In short, the social fabric is changing, and it is in this context that the Longevity Economy, the set of economic, social, health and technological dynamics fuelled by a mature and active population, is emerging. An emerging market for biotechnology, which will be explored on 3 October during the conference "New business archetypes in the longevity sector: biotech and emerging realities", one of the events of the Biotech Week, organised by Sapienza University in collaboration with the Unimercatorum University, which can be streamed.

Worldwide there are approximately 185,000 companies belonging to the longevity ecosystem. According to the Annual longevity investment report 2024, 8.49 billion were invested in the sector in 2024, with a forecast of +15% over 2025. These include the US-based Biosplice Therapeutics and Germany's Refoxy Pharmaceuticals. In terms of investments, Quadrivio Group, one of the leading Italian and European private equity operators, is also part of this scenario. Through its Silver Economy Fund, it has already invested in five companies active in biotech and in services, technologies and products that meet the needs of an increasingly long-living population, four of which are Italian. And one is in the pipeline for 2026.

Among the companies with Italian DNA stands out Rubedo, a biotech founded by Marco Quarta based in California, which aims to transform the science of ageing into innovative therapies. The focus of the research is cellular senescence, or the accumulation of 'zombie' cells that promote inflammation and tissue degeneration. With its proprietary Alembic platform, also based on genomic and Ai analysis, the company identifies pathological cells and develops targeted, safe and translational molecules. Research priorities focus on three areas: dermatology, with new classes of senotherapeutics for psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and skin ageing; respiratory diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, neurodegeneration and chronic pain.

With its clinical candidate RLS-1496, a molecule targeting pathological senescent cells, on which a phase 1 clinical trial is underway in Europe and the US, Rubedo aims to validate a new paradigm of longevity medicine. Its European presence is also strategic, reinforced by the investment of Cdp Venture Capital: 'We want to create integrated research and development hubs with clinical and academic centres, enhancing Italian excellence in biomedicine and opening up European collaborations,' Quarta explains. "We are working to launch clinical trials in Italy, both in the dermatological and respiratory fields, with the aim of building an ecosystem that brings together academic, clinical and industry research through clinical trials and public-private partnerships."