GI Innovation clears Australia phase 2a anti-aging trial, strengthening XPRIZE push

GI Innovation said it has received approval for a phase 2a clinical trial from the Bellberry Human Research Ethics Committee in Australia to evaluate a combination anti-aging therapy combining the company’s immunotherapy drug GI-102 and GI Longevity’s microbiome candidate GIB-7.

The study marks one of the first attempts by a Korean biotech group to launch a regulated clinical trial specifically designed to assess age-reversal effects. The two companies said the trial represents a critical step toward securing a place in the finals of the XPRIZE Healthspan competition next year.

The XPRIZE Healthspan competition is a global longevity challenge aimed at extending healthy lifespan through scientifically proven interventions.

The phase 2a study will enroll 15 healthy adults and cancer survivors to measure core aging-related biomarkers, including immune function, muscle strength, and cognitive performance. The trial consists of a three-participant safety run-in followed by a 12-participant expansion stage. After the safety run-in, the study will proceed as an eight-week, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

GI Innovation and GI Longevity have also completed Australia’s clinical trial notification process with the Therapeutic Goods Administration. First dosing is scheduled for December at the Southern Oncology Clinical Research Unit and Novatrials, with preparations underway for a parallel clinical program in Korea.

Global interest in the anti-aging sector continues to accelerate. According to Precedence Research, a market research firm, the worldwide anti-aging market is expected to expand from $77.9 billion in 2025 to $140.9 billion in 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.8 percent.

“We are grateful to the Australian HREC and regulatory authorities for embracing our innovative challenge,” said GI Innovation CEO Jang Myung-ho. “Through the combined technologies of GI Innovation and GI Longevity, we aim to find a scientific breakthrough that can reverse aspects of human aging.”

This clinical initiation will serve as a decisive springboard toward reaching the XPRIZE finals next year, Jang added.

The XPRIZE Healthspan competition, which began with 600 participating teams, currently has 40 semifinalists. Teh finalists will be selected and announced in July 2026. Each finalist team will receive $1 million, and the competition for the ultimate $100 million grand prize will conclude in 2030.