Ora Biomedical, in collaboration with the Rapamycin Longevity Lab, has launched an ambitious project to screen over 600 mTOR inhibitors to discover alternatives to rapamycin, a compound recognized for its lifespan-extending properties.

As part of this initiative, the Million Molecule Challenge invites individuals to sponsor experiments, allowing contributions to scientific research starting from just $100.

Funding for the project is derived from donations, with plans to explore intellectual property opportunities for any promising compounds identified during the screening process.

Ora's innovative screening approach can identify effective compounds within months, significantly reducing the time compared to traditional mammalian studies, thus enhancing research efficiency.

Rapamycin, originally discovered on Easter Island and produced by soil bacteria, is primarily used as an immunosuppressant but has also demonstrated lifespan extension in various animal models.

The laboratory founded by Matt Kaeberlein at the University of Washington School of Medicine, which established Ora Biomedical, is renowned for its geroscience research and ongoing trials of rapamycin in dogs.

Previously, Ora Biomedical identified omepalisib, an mTOR inhibitor that surpassed rapamycin in effectiveness in worm studies; this compound is already FDA-approved for certain cancers, potentially accelerating its development as an anti-aging drug.

Despite rapamycin's effectiveness, its limitations have sparked the search for other mTOR inhibitors that may offer better results.

To facilitate this research, Ora Biomedical employs a high-throughput screening method utilizing the nematode worm C. elegans and a proprietary robotic system known as WormBot.

Mitchell Lee, CEO of Ora, has highlighted the necessity for broader research beyond rapamycin, pointing out a misalignment in longevity research funding that limits the exploration of new mTOR inhibitors.

The Rapamycin Longevity Lab aims to systematically evaluate mTOR inhibitors to improve understanding and develop enhanced longevity therapies, addressing a significant gap in current research.