Anti-aging biotech upstart plucks a drug from Amgen's discard pile, pivoting from heart failure to muscle conditions

Back in April 2019, Amgen quietly shut down a Phase I trial for a drug named AMG 986. There was no safety concern; the molecule just didn’t hit the mark on helping the small band of heart failure patients who received it.

A small biotech, though, believes it would stand a chance in the burgeoning anti-aging field.

BioAge Labs has licensed AMG 986 — now renamed BGE-105 — with plans to parlay the existing IND into a quick Phase I trial teasing out the pharmacodynamic effects and set the stage for mid-stage tests focused on acute muscle indications.