A controversial tech millionaire who is obsessed with anti-aging underwent $25k gene therapy that has not been approved by the FDA. Check out the latest reports about this below.
Trying to live forever
Bryan Johnson, a 46-year-old tech millionaire, recently added an expensive treatment to his routine aimed at reversing his biological age.
He calls his program “Project Blueprint” and spends around $2 million annually on it. Johnson’s latest treatment is injectable gene therapy, which he received on a remote Caribbean island.
In September, he had his first round of follistatin therapy, which is offered by biotech startup Minicircle.
Follistatin is a protein that helps increase muscle mass and reduce inflammation in the human body. The treatment costs $25,000 per dose for the average customer.
It’s worth noting that the FDA has not approved Minicircle, and some scientists have expressed doubts about its effectiveness.
The company is supported by billionaire Peter Thiel and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to Bloomberg.
However, Minicircle has yet to release data on medical trials.
Recently, a man named Bryan Johnson claimed to have received Minicircle’s gene therapy, follistatin, and described himself as a “genetically enhanced human.” Although Johnson is said to be spending millions on anti-aging, Minicircle’s co-founder told Bloomberg that the company is not charging him.
Business Insider reached out to the startup for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
“He’s by far the most high-profile person to come down here,” Mac Davis, the co-founder of Minicircle, told Bloomberg. “Bryan is giving us something worth more than what we would charge him.”
Johnson claims that his team of doctors at Project Blueprint has helped him achieve the skin of a 28-year-old, the heart of a 37-year-old, and the lung capacity of an 18-year-old.
However, the accuracy of these claims has not been independently verified, and there is a contentious debate regarding the definition of “biological age.”
In 2020, the entrepreneur decided to explore the possibility of living forever.
This decision led him to adopt a vegan diet and to replace junk food and late nights with dozens of supplements.
Johnson’s wealth primarily comes from his role in founding Braintree, a payment processing company. In 2013, he sold the company to eBay for $800 million.
