Dr. Matt Kaeberlein Joins The Cat Health Company’s Scientific Advisory Board

Dr. Kaeberlein, a founding figure in the science of companion-animal aging, brings decades of expertise to The Cat Health Company’s work on aging.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Cat Health Company (TCHC), a clinical-stage biotech developing longevity medicines for cats, announced today that Dr. Matt Kaeberlein has joined its Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Kaeberlein is a world-renowned scientist focused on mechanisms of aging shared across species and on how they can be targeted to extend healthspan and lifespan. He has published more than 250 scientific papers, and his work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Robert W. Kleemeier Award from the Gerontological Society of America and the Nathan W. Shock Award from the National Institute on Aging. Since co-founding the Dog Aging Project in 2014, Dr. Kaeberlein has co-directed the research of client-owned dogs at home, combining long-term observational studies with placebo-controlled clinical trials, including trials of low-dose repurposed rapamycin. Dr. Kaeberlein’s work overlaps with TCHC's in three main areas: targeting conserved mechanisms of aging, leveraging drug repurposing, as well as accelerating clinical applications for companion animals and human medicine.

Dr. Matt Kaeberlein said: "Aging is the single greatest risk factor for many of the diseases and functional declines that affect our companion animals. Rather than treating each of those problems independently after they arise, I believe there is tremendous potential in targeting the underlying biology of aging to preserve health and function for longer. The early PURR-001 results in age-related muscle loss are an encouraging example of what that approach could look like in cats, and I’m excited to work with The Cat Health Company as they build on these findings."

PURR-001, the company's first clinical-stage program, targets age-related muscle loss. It reached a European manufacturing and distribution agreement less than two years since inception. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, cats treated with PURR-001 showed an average 23% increase in epaxial muscle thickness, 2.5 times higher than the placebo group. Hematology and serum biochemistry remained within normal limits at every timepoint, and adverse events occurred at similar rates in the two study arms. TCHC is now preparing the dossier for regulatory submission. The pipeline also includes candidates for renal, neurological and cardiovascular conditions. To develop therapeutics, TCHC combines state-of-the-art computational models with laboratory assays and, ultimately, clinical validation. Its scientific team has published computational methods, laboratory findings, and clinical data in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Cell and Nature. The company is now expanding its team and is actively recruiting.

A joint address by Alex Bacita and Dr. Alex Voda, the co-founders of The Cat Health Company, states: "We have followed Dr. Kaeberlein's work for years, and his research has been an important influence on how we think about the biology of aging. We are delighted to welcome him to our Scientific Advisory Board and look forward to working with him as we advance this field in cats. Our companions live with us and develop many of the same age-related conditions we do. We are here to improve their lives while contributing to our understanding of aging across species."

About The Cat Health Company

The Cat Health Company develops medicines for age-related diseases in cats, with a focus on rapid clinical validation in patients. The company was founded by an international team of scientists with backgrounds at the University of Oxford, the University of Manchester and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. The team also includes veterans of companies such as Charles River Laboratories, Deep Science Ventures and Genevia Technologies. TCHC is backed by strategic biotech angel investors, including Sonia Arrison and Alex Zhavoronkov, and by venture capital funds in Europe, including Early Game Ventures II, and the United States, including AniVC and Portfolia's Active Aging & Longevity Fund II.

About Matt Kaeberlein

Dr. Matt Kaeberlein is a scientist, entrepreneur, and leading voice in longevity science, with nearly three decades of experience spanning basic research, clinical translation, and company building. His work is focused on advancing human and animal healthspan by targeting the biological processes that drive aging and age-related disease, and by developing technologies to translate this science into practical, scalable healthcare solutions. Dr. Kaeberlein is the Co-Founder of the Dog Aging Project and the Founder and President of the non-profit Dog Aging Institute. He is also a co-founder of companies at the forefront of the longevity field, including Ora Biomedical, which leverages robotics and artificial intelligence for drug discovery, and Optispan, a healthcare technology company focused on delivering scalable, science-based proactive care. He is a former professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he was the Founding Director of the Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute and the Biological Mechanisms of Healthy Aging Training Program. Dr. Kaeberlein is currently a General Partner at Vivace Partners, Chief Science Officer at DOS (Dog Operating System), and host of the Longevity Science and Longevity for Dogs podcasts. He is also the Chair of the Montana Experimental Treatment Review Board. Dr. Kaeberlein serves as a strategic advisor for multiple academic and nonprofit initiatives, as well as biotechnology, clinical, and consumer health companies.

Alexandru-Ioan Voda
The Cat Health Company
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