Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing

What is this call about?

The challenge funds proof-of-concept work on biotechnology interventions, biomarker tools and new approach methodologies that target the root biology of ageing. The portfolio is capped at 5 intervention, 3 biomarker and 2 methodology projects.

What does this call fund?

Scope

Ageing is a shared risk factor for many chronic diseases, and the EU population aged 85 and over is expected to more than double by 2050, while healthy life expectancy lags behind. Decades of research have identified the hallmarks and cellular mechanisms of ageing, but turning them into clinical interventions has had a low success rate. The challenge aims to translate that research into biopharmaceutical solutions for healthy ageing.

Areas of work

Applicants are expected to develop a proof of concept in one of three areas:

• An intervention that prevents, delays or reverts an age-related disease. It must target a fundamental molecular or cellular process of ageing, show generalisability by testing another distinct ageing-related trait, and prove the concept in an interventional study in a physiologically aged vertebrate model. Small clinical studies are encouraged, and projects must anticipate how the intervention could be tested clinically and plan its exploitation, including ethical, economic and regulatory aspects.
• A biomarker-based tool for the responsible use of ageing interventions, built on previously identified biomarker candidates or ageing clocks (discovery is excluded). It should integrate several traits, link clinical features to ageing mechanisms, be robust to variability between and within individuals and be tested in an initial retrospective study with suitable longevity cohorts.
• A new approach methodology that captures the aged status of a system, across more than one molecular or cellular aspect and more than one tissue type, is benchmarked against an animal model of ageing and is tested in a specified use case.

Precision nutrition, new ageing clocks and wellness applications are outside the scope. All proposals should consider biological sex and gender-specific health determinants, and reproductive ageing is in scope.

Expected outcomes

Proof of concept (technology readiness level 3 completed) of interventions in a vertebrate model; tools such as biomarker signatures or pre-clinical models; and approaches to the shared regulatory and societal challenges, including regulatory pathways and longevity literacy.

Portfolio approach

The portfolio is to include no more than 5 intervention projects, no more than 3 biomarker projects and no more than 2 new approach methodology projects. Selected consortia exchange expertise and are encouraged to collaborate on preclinical models, biomarkers, regulatory pathways and societal acceptance.

When is the deadline?

28 October 2026

28 October 2026. This is a single-stage call.