XPRIZE Healthspan Announces 100 Semifinalists Aiming to Extend Human Healthspan by 10 Years

The global XPRIZE Healthspan competition has announced its first cohort of 100 semifinalists, marking a significant milestone in the seven-year endeavor aimed at extending human healthspan by at least a decade. These teams, representing 58 countries, are tasked with developing innovative therapies to restore muscular, cognitive, and immune function in adults aged 50 to 80 within a 12-month timeframe. The competition's focus on enhancing physiological capacity and quality of life reflects a shift in longevity science towards practical, impactful solutions.

The semifinalists bring a diverse array of interventions to the table, including biologics, devices, drugs, lifestyle interventions, and personalized monitoring. Notable teams include BioAge Labs, which is exploring NLRP3 inhibition to address inflammation and metabolic dysfunction, and Longeveron Inc, which is trialing a mesenchymal stem cell therapy for age-related frailty. Other teams, such as Timeline, are developing Urolithin A-based mitophagy activators, while firms like Rejuvenate Bio and R42 Group are investigating gene therapy and AI-guided systems biology.

The competition's structure emphasizes robust clinical data and real-world physiological improvement, setting a new standard for meaningful progress in aging research. The field's growing diversity is evident in the range of strategies being tested, from mitochondrial peptides and senotherapeutics to immune reprogramming and traditional compounds reimagined through AI. This approach ensures that the competition is not driven by speculative biomarkers or visionary optimism, but by tangible, measurable results.

The next phase of the competition will focus on logistics, operations, and strategic partnerships as teams navigate regulatory environments, secure trial sites, manufacture products at scale, and recruit participants swiftly. The 100 teams will now move into the clinical stage, with results to be evaluated in 2026. Ten finalists will be awarded a further $10 million milestone prize and advance to full clinical trials lasting up to a year. The overall winner, to be selected in 2030, will receive up to $81 million.

The competition's design supports a variety of strategies, from upstream modulators promising cascading downstream effects to pragmatic multi-modal approaches. The University of Utah will serve as the Data Coordinating Center, unifying quality clinical evidence with scalable innovation. The broader XPRIZE infrastructure plays a supporting role, hosting investor summits, connecting teams with strategic partners, and interfacing with regulators.

The competition's global reach and diverse range of interventions highlight the potential for breakthroughs to emerge from unexpected quarters. As therapies are tested in aging bodies, the field will confront its defining question: not just what can be done, but what works at scale and in time. The XPRIZE Healthspan competition is poised to drive aging research forward globally and achieve medical breakthroughs to help humanity live healthier, longer.