UNITY Biotechnology
UNITY Biotechnology was a clinical-stage biotech (NASDAQ: UBX) that developed senolytic small-molecule drugs to eliminate senescent cells and treat age-related diseases such as osteoarthritis and diabetic macular edema before ceasing operations in September 2025.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSouth San Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What UNITY Biotechnology does
UNITY Biotechnology was a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2009 and formerly based in South San Francisco, California, that developed senolytic therapeutics — small-molecule drugs designed to selectively eliminate senescent cells which accumulate with age and drive tissue dysfunction. The company's therapeutic pipeline targeted age-related diseases including osteoarthritis and diabetic macular edema (DME). Its lead osteoarthritis senolytic candidate failed to meet primary endpoints in a 2020 Phase 2 trial, while its DME senolytic candidate produced positive Phase 2 results that did not ultimately translate into a viable path to approval or commercialization. UNITY operated with a headcount of 11–50 employees and was funded through a combination of venture rounds (notably a $116M round in 2016 led by Bezos Expeditions and a $55M financing in 2018) and its 2018 initial public offering on NASDAQ under the ticker UBX.
The company's business model was that of a traditional pre-revenue biotech: it generated no product revenue, sustained significant operating losses (~$93.8M net loss in 2020, narrowing to ~$26.0M by 2024 as R&D wound down), and financed operations through equity capital. Its target customer base — had products reached market — would have been patients suffering from age-related degenerative conditions, accessed through ophthalmologists and other specialty physicians. Following clinical trial failures and capital depletion, UNITY raised approximately $4.38M in a final warrant exercise in November 2023 and ultimately ceased operations in September 2025, with the corporate website confirming the company is no longer operating and correspondence redirected to a Foxboro, MA address and a third-party email.
UNITY Biotechnology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UNITY Biotechnology
- Legal name
- Unity Biotechnology
- Website
- https://unitybiotechnology.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- UNITY Biotechnology was a clinical-stage biotech (NASDAQ: UBX) that developed senolytic small-molecule drugs to eliminate senescent cells and treat age-related diseases such as osteoarthritis and diabetic macular edema before ceasing operations in September 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UNITY Biotechnology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Senolytic Therapeutics for Age-Related Diseases
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Recombinant Protein Therapeutics (enzymes, hormones, growth factors) (HLAAAAAB)
Keywords
Where UNITY Biotechnology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
UNITY Biotechnology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Others
UNITY Biotechnology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UNITY Biotechnology developed senolytic therapeutics designed to selectively target and eliminate senescent cells that accumulate with age and contribute to tissue dysfunction. The company's drug candidate portfolio targeted age-related diseases including diabetic macular edema and osteoarthritis. UNITY was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that ceased operations in September 2025 following clinical trial setbacks.
Product overview
UNITY Biotechnology was a biotechnology company developing senolytic drug therapies targeting cellular senescence to treat age-related diseases. The company operated a portfolio of therapeutic candidates including treatments for diabetic macular edema (which achieved positive Phase 2 results) and osteoarthritis (which failed its 2020 trial). The company went public in 2018 and ceased operations in September 2025 following clinical trial setbacks and capital depletion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Senolytic Drug Development Program A clinical-stage drug development platform that produced proprietary senolytic therapeutics designed to selectively eliminate senescent cells which accumulate with age and contribute to tissue dysfunction. Targeted age-related diseases including osteoarthritis and diabetic macular edema.
- Diabetic Macular Edema Treatment An experimental senolytic treatment for diabetic macular edema that demonstrated positive Phase 2 trial results before UNITY ceased operations. Designed for patients with diabetic eye disease driven by senescent cell accumulation.
- Osteoarthritis Treatment A senolytic drug candidate for osteoarthritis that failed to meet primary endpoints in a 2020 clinical trial, representing the pivotal setback that undermined UNITY's clinical pipeline and ultimately contributed to the company's shutdown.
Quantifiable outcome
- Phase 2 trial showed positive results for diabetic macular edema treatment
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use UNITY Biotechnology
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
UNITY Biotechnology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
UNITY Biotechnology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights3 records
UNITY Biotechnology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BioAge Labs: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics that target the molecular drivers of aging. Comparable as a focused aging-therapeutics developer with a pipeline spanning age-related conditions.
- Insilico Medicine: Clinical-stage AI-driven biotech developing therapeutics targeting aging and age-related diseases, including senolytic and anti-fibrotic programs. Most directly comparable as a peer developing drugs against senescence biology.
- AgeX Therapeutics: Biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics targeting biological aging and age-related degenerative diseases. Comparable as a direct aging-therapeutics peer, though AgeX itself has also faced significant clinical and capital headwinds.
- Life Biosciences: Biotech developing therapeutics based on cellular reprogramming and longevity science to treat age-related diseases. Comparable as a peer pursuing first-in-class interventions against fundamental aging mechanisms.
Emerging players
- Rejuvenate Bio: Gene therapy company developing treatments for age-related diseases in humans and animals. Comparable as a small-cap aging-therapeutics developer with adjacent modality (gene therapy vs. small-molecule senolytics).
- Turn Biotechnologies: Clinical-stage company developing mRNA-based cellular reprogramming therapies for age-related conditions. Comparable as an emerging player tackling cellular aging, though using a different delivery modality than UNITY's senolytics.
- Elevian: Early-stage biotech developing recombinant protein therapeutics that target aging pathways, including GDF11. Comparable as a younger aging-therapeutics developer with partial mechanism overlap with senolytic strategies.
Broad incumbents
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals: Major biopharmaceutical company with approved therapies (aflibercept/EYLEA) for diabetic macular edema. Comparable as a broad incumbent addressing the same ophthalmology indication UNITY's DME program targeted.
- Novartis: Global pharmaceutical company with significant ophthalmology franchise (Lucentis, Beovu) treating DME. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the DME therapeutic area UNITY was pursuing.
- Calico Life Sciences: Alphabet-backed R&D organization focused on aging biology and age-related disease therapeutics. Comparable as a well-capitalized aging-therapeutics research entity targeting fundamental mechanisms of senescence, though operating at vastly greater scale than UNITY.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
UNITY Biotechnology social profiles
Digital presenceUNITY Biotechnology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UNITY Biotechnology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
UNITY Biotechnology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors26 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UNITY Biotechnology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UNITY Biotechnology
What does UNITY Biotechnology do?
UNITY Biotechnology developed senolytic therapeutics designed to selectively target and eliminate senescent cells that accumulate with age and contribute to tissue dysfunction. The company's drug candidate portfolio targeted age-related diseases including diabetic macular edema and osteoarthritis. UNITY was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that ceased operations in September 2025 following clinical trial setbacks.
Is UNITY Biotechnology a public or private company?
UNITY Biotechnology is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently closed.
When was UNITY Biotechnology founded?
UNITY Biotechnology was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is UNITY Biotechnology based?
UNITY Biotechnology is headquartered in South San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
Who are UNITY Biotechnology's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BioAge Labs, Insilico Medicine, AgeX Therapeutics and Life Biosciences. Emerging players are Rejuvenate Bio, Turn Biotechnologies and Elevian. Broad incumbents are Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Novartis and Calico Life Sciences.
Does UNITY Biotechnology have an API?
No public API is recorded for UNITY Biotechnology.
What industry is UNITY Biotechnology in?
UNITY Biotechnology's product category is Senolytic Therapeutics for Age-Related Diseases. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAAAB, Recombinant Protein Therapeutics (enzymes, hormones, growth factors). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2834.