Calico (company)
Company type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | |
Founded | September 18, 2013 |
Founders | |
Headquarters | 1170 Veterans Blvd, , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Arthur D. Levinson (CEO) |
Parent | Google (2013–2015) Alphabet Inc. (2015–present) |
Website | calicolabs |
Calico is a research and development biotech company founded on September 18, 2013 by Google and Arthur D. Levinson with the goal of combating aging and associated diseases.[1] In Google's 2013 Founders' Letter, Larry Page described Calico as a company focused on "health, well-being, and longevity." The company's name is an acronym for "California Life Company".[2][3]
In August 2015, Google announced plans to restructure into Alphabet Inc., wherein Google and Calico would become two of the subsidiaries of the new company along with others.[4] This was completed on October 2.
Partnerships
In September 2014, it was announced that Calico, in partnership with AbbVie, would be opening up a R&D facility focused on aging and age-related diseases, such as neurodegeneration and cancer. Initially, each company will invest $350 million, with an option for each to add an extra $500 million later on.[5] In the same month, Calico announced a partnership with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and 2M Companies regarding drug development for neurodegenerative disorders.[6]
In 2015, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard announced a partnership with Calico to "advance research on age-related diseases and therapeutics",[7] a further partnership also was announced with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.[8] Also in 2015, Calico announced a partnership with QB3 based on researching the biology of aging and identifying potential therapeutics for age-related diseases[9] and one with AncestryDNA based on conducting research into the genetics of human lifespan.[10]
NAMPT enhancer
Calico has licensed experimental drug compounds P7C3 analogues involved in enhancing the activity of the enzyme nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, which plays a role in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide biosynthesis. P7C3 compounds have previously been shown in a number of publications to be beneficial in animal models for age-related neurodegeneration.[11][12] The partnership involves upfront and milestone payments for development of the compounds into therapeutics.[13]
Modulators of Integrated Stress Response
Calico has entered into collaboration with Peter Walter and his lab at UCSF to develop their technology which modulates the Integrated Stress Response (ISR), a set of biochemical pathways activated in response to stress. The research has the potential to tackle "age-related cognitive decline".[14]
Other
Calico has not disclosed all of its current and future projects to help humans live longer, healthier lives.[15]
See also
References
- ^ "Google announces Calico, a new company focused on health and well-being". 18 September 2013.
- ^ Pollack, Andrew; Miller, Claire Cain (18 September 2013). "Tech Titans Form Biotechnology Company". New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ Page, Larry. "2013 Founders' Letter".
- ^ Womack, Brian (10 August 2015). "Google Creates New Company Called Alphabet, Restructures Stock". Bloomberg. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ "AbbVie and Calico Announce a Novel Collaboration to Accelerate the Discovery, Development, and Commercialization of New Therapies". 3 September 2014.
- ^ "UT Southwestern researchers discover novel class of NAMPT activators for neurodegenerative disease; Calico enters into exclusive collaboration with 2M to develop UTSW technology". 11 September 2014.
- ^ "Broad Institute and Calico announce an extensive collaboration focused on the biology of aging and therapeutic approaches to diseases of aging".
- ^ "Google's Calico continues its partnering romp on aging R&D with Buck collaboration".
- ^ "Calico and QB3 announce partnership to conduct research into the biology of aging and to identify potential therapeutics for age-related diseases". 24 March 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ^ "AncestryDNA and Calico to Research the Genetics of Human Lifespan".
- ^ "NAMPT neuroprotection". doi:10.1038/scibx.2014.1112.
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(help) - ^ "P7C3 Neuroprotective Chemicals Function by Activating the Rate-Limiting Enzyme in NAD Salvage". doi:10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.040.
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(help) - ^ "UT Southwestern researchers discover novel class of NAMPT activators for neurodegenerative disease; Calico enters into exclusive collaboration with 2M to develop UTSW technology".
- ^ "Calico Licenses Technology from Acclaimed UCSF Laboratory".
- ^ "Google is super secretive about its anti-aging research. No one knows why". Vox. Retrieved 2017-05-17.