Policy & Industry
Regulatory / industry
ARPA-H commits up to $144 million to shorter, biomarker-driven healthspan trials
Source: ARPA-H
What the study found
The US Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health awarded seven teams under its PROSPR program, with up to $144 million over five years paid as milestone-based contracts. Teams will mine long-term data for early biomarkers that predict health outcomes, then use them in 1–3 year decentralized trials, including a planned phase 3 hybrid trial repurposing an SGLT2 inhibitor, rapamycin and semaglutide.
Why it matters for healthspan
A core barrier for aging drugs is that outcome trials would take decades; validated early biomarkers could make healthspan trials feasible. In parallel, XPRIZE Healthspan named 20 finalists in August 2026 for a $101 million competition to restore muscle, cognitive and immune function in adults 50–90. Neither effort has produced proven therapies yet.
Evidence level
Regulatory / industry · Policy & Industry
Source
ARPA-H. ARPA-H awards research teams to add more healthy years to Americans’ lives as they age. February 24, 2026
Educational summary curated by Farhan Tahir, MD, FACR. Not individual medical advice.
Primary source
ARPA-H. ARPA-H awards research teams to add more healthy years to Americans’ lives as they age. February 24, 2026