GlycanAge

High-Level Overview

GlycanAge is a biotech company developing a proprietary biological age test that analyzes IgG glycans—complex sugars on antibodies—to measure chronic inflammation and provide a real-time readout of immune health and aging.[2][1][6] It serves individual consumers seeking personalized health insights, longevity research labs, clinics, hospitals, insurers, pharmaceutical firms, and nutraceutical brands, solving the problem of tracking dynamic lifestyle impacts on biological age faster than genetic or epigenetic tests, which enables proactive adjustments to prevent chronic diseases.[1][2][4][6] The company has shown strong growth momentum, achieving 300% year-on-year growth with minimal marketing via its core product, securing a $4.2M seed round in 2023 led by LAUNCHub Ventures and Kadmos Capital, plus a €7.4M raise, grants like $140K from Mubadala’s HUB71 and $220K EU AI funding, and plans for US lab expansion and new tests like MenoAge.[1][3][7]

Origin Story

GlycanAge emerged from decades of research by co-founder Gordan Lauc, a professor who pioneered glycomics—studying glycans' role in inflammation and aging—launching the Human Glycome Project in 2017 and analyzing over 150,000 glycomes at Genos, the world's leading high-throughput glycan lab.[1][2][3] Incorporated in 2016 (or 2020 per some sources) as a Genos spinout, it was co-founded by Gordan Lauc (CSO) and his daughter Nikolina Lauc (CEO), transitioning lab science into a consumer test for biological age via glycan biomarkers.[1][2][3] Early traction came organically with 300% YoY growth on one product, backed by angels like Tim Marbach (Asia Venture Group) and Maud Pasturaud (Atomico), plus grants, marking pivotal shifts toward diagnostics, AI integration, and disease-specific biomarkers.[1][3]

Core Differentiators

• Unique Glycan Biomarker Technology: Analyzes IgG glycans for systemic chronic inflammation and biological age, integrating genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors dynamically—unlike static telomere or epigenetic clocks—detecting changes in weeks with high precision from validated high-throughput methods.[2][6][4]
• Scientific Pedigree and Partnerships: Developed with Harvard, Stanford, and Karolinska; backed by 30+ years of research, 200,000+ biobank samples, and Genos infrastructure no competitor matches due to IP, expertise, and scale.[2][3][6]
• Comprehensive User Experience: At-home kits with personal dashboards, glycan index breakdowns, and health-span doctor consultations; B2B research support from study design to publication for pharma trials, academics, and brands.[6][4][2]
• Expansion Pipeline: Accelerating B2B with clinics/insurers; long-term goals include "HbA1c of immune health" status, AI-powered datasets for chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular, autoimmune), and regulatory approvals.[2]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

GlycanAge rides the longevity and preventative health trend, positioning glycans as a sensitive, real-time biomarker for inflammaging—the low-grade inflammation driving age-related diseases—amid rising demand for personalized medicine and biological age tracking.[1][2][6] Timing aligns with AI-health intersections (e.g., EU grants for diagnostics-AI bridging) and post-pandemic focus on proactive wellness, favoring market forces like aging populations and insurer interest in outcomes-based care.[1][2] It influences the ecosystem by fostering glycomics adoption via research partnerships, building the world's largest glycan-health dataset for AI diagnostics/therapeutics, and expanding into clinical practice, potentially standardizing inflammation monitoring like HbA1c for diabetes.[2][4]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

GlycanAge is poised to scale its glycan platform into mainstream diagnostics, with near-term US lab setup, B2B integrations, and specialized tests like MenoAge driving revenue amid 300% historical growth.[3][2] Trends like AI-biomarker fusion, regulatory pushes for clinical validation, and longevity market expansion (e.g., chronic disease indications) will shape its path, evolving it from consumer test to ecosystem leader in precision inflammaging interventions.[2][1] This builds on its seed-fueled momentum, empowering users to outpace chronological aging through actionable glycan insights.