Sam Altman Joins $1 Billion Investment Round for AI-Powered Healthcare Startup Retro Biosciences
Retro Biosciences Inc., an AI-driven biotechnology startup, is reportedly raising $1 billion to advance its groundbreaking research into drug discovery and anti-aging therapies. According to a report by the Financial Times, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is among the key investors participating in this latest funding round. Altman had previously played a crucial role in the company’s inception by providing $180 million in initial funding.

Retro Biosciences Inc., an AI-driven biotechnology startup, is reportedly raising $1 billion to advance its groundbreaking research into drug discovery and anti-aging therapies. According to a report by the Financial Times, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is among the key investors participating in this latest funding round. Altman had previously played a crucial role in the company’s inception by providing $180 million in initial funding.
Launched in mid-2022, Retro Biosciences set an ambitious goal of extending the average human lifespan by 10 years. The company established its research operations in a converted San Francisco warehouse, where shipping containers were repurposed into state-of-the-art laboratories. Leveraging this infrastructure and a custom-built AI model developed by OpenAI, Retro is focused on pioneering the next generation of medical advancements.
Central to Retro's work are Yamanaka factors, a group of four proteins that have become a significant area of study in longevity science. These proteins can reprogram human skin cells into stem cells, a process that holds the potential to reverse certain aspects of aging. However, the process is currently inefficient, requiring several weeks and yielding success in less than 1% of cells. These limitations pose significant challenges to turning Yamanaka factors into viable therapeutic solutions.
To address these challenges, Retro has partnered with OpenAI to develop a specialized AI tool known as “GPT-4b micro.” This smaller language model is designed to enhance the effectiveness of Yamanaka factors. As reported by the MIT Technology Review, the model has already helped Retro make two Yamanaka factors over 50 times more effective. This custom version of OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology was tailored for protein analysis, utilizing datasets that include amino acid sequences and protein interactions.
Researchers at Retro interact with GPT-4b micro using a technique called few-shot prompting, which involves providing the model with task descriptions and examples to improve the quality of its outputs. The model’s compact size, compared to larger language models, allows for efficient integration into Retro’s research pipeline, delivering precise insights into protein engineering.
The anticipated $1 billion investment will support Retro's ongoing projects, including the development of three new therapies. Among them is a treatment aimed at rejuvenating blood cells, while another targets Alzheimer’s disease, with clinical trials set to commence in Australia later this year. These efforts underscore Retro's commitment to transforming promising research into practical applications.
By combining advances in artificial intelligence and biotechnology, Retro Biosciences seeks to push the boundaries of what is possible in healthcare. Its focus on Yamanaka factors and other cutting-edge approaches could pave the way for innovative therapies that address some of the most pressing challenges in aging and chronic disease.