A biotech firm in China has claimed that living to 150 “will be reality” in a matter of years after developing a new long-life pill.
After Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin were caught on a hot mic casually discussing the possibility of immortality, Lonvi Biosciences, a longevity-focused company based in Shenzhen, made a bold announcement.
“Living to 150 is definitely realistic,” Lyu Qinghua, chief technology officer at Lonvi, said. “In a few years, this will be the reality.”
The company said they have developed anti-aging capsules using a compound found in grape seed extract, and it allegedly has the power to target so-called “zombie cells,” which are aging cells that linger in the body and harm healthy tissue.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were heard discussing immortality. Credit: Anadolu / Getty
Putin and Xi’s Off-Script Talk Fuels Longevity Buzz
The viral conversation between Putin and Xi unfolded at the 80th-anniversary celebration of the end of World War II, where the two leaders were walking alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
In the background, microphones picked up something unusual. “Biotechnology is continuously developing… human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and [you can] even achieve immortality,” Putin’s translator was heard saying.
Xi’s translator quickly added: “Some predict that in this century humans may live to 150 years old. Earlier, people rarely lived to 70, but these days, at 70 years, you are still a child.”
While the chat may have been light-hearted, it struck a nerve, especially coming from two of the world’s most powerful authoritarian leaders.
Was this just a normal conversation between two global leaders, or a glimpse into their fears of mortality? Either way, the timing of their comments made Lonvi’s announcement all the more interesting.
The company claims to have developed anti-aging capsules. Credit: Johner Images / Getty
Lonvi’s Anti-Aging Breakthrough
According to Finance Express, Lonvi Biosciences is developing pills based on Procyanidin C1 (PCC1) – a component of grape seed extract.
According to a study published in Nature Metabolism, scientists using PCC1 successfully extended both the lifespan and healthspan of mice, which then laid the groundwork for future human trials.
The startup believes it has found a way to isolate and concentrate molecules that target zombie cells, aged cells that don’t die, and speed up the aging process. “This is not just one more pill. This is the holy grail,” said Yip Tszho, also known as Zico, Lonvi’s chief executive.
Zombie cells are a key cause of aging. These faulty cells stop working but stay in the body, causing inflammation and leading to chronic diseases.
Scientists have made progress with senolytics, drugs that help remove these cells in labs and animals, and Lonvi’s pill is part of this effort. The company says that with a healthy lifestyle and proper care, its capsules could help people live to 100–120 years, or even 150.
Can we beat the clock? Credit: Jordan Lye / Getty
But Can We Really Beat the Clock?
While Lonvi’s optimism about longer life is exciting, experts warn that aging still has major limits.
Research suggests humans may live up to 120–150 years, but our bodies lose the ability to recover from stress as we age, which increases the risk of death.
David Furman, a professor at the Buck Institute, said that “larger clinical trials are required”.
