Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is doubling down on his investment in Retro Biosciences, a San Francisco-based biotech startup that aims to extend the human lifespan by 10 years. Altman previously provided the entire $180 million seed round for the startup and is now joining a $1 billion Series A funding round, as reported by The Financial Times.

Retro Biosciences is focused on developing drugs that target diseases such as Alzheimer's, with plans to launch trials in the near future. The startup has already made significant progress, having recently trained a model with OpenAI to convert regular cells into stem cells. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine and could be a key step towards achieving the startup's ambitious goal of increasing human lifespan.

CEO Joe Betts-LaCroix has stated that he wants to move quickly in discovering and developing a drug, with a goal of achieving this "in the 2020s." This aggressive timeline is likely driven by the significant investment and support from Altman, as well as the growing trend of billionaire-backed longevity startups.

In recent years, there has been a surge in investment in longevity startups, with billionaires such as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel backing companies like Altos Labs and Unity Biotechnology. Altos Labs, which launched in 2022 with $3 billion in funding, is also focused on extending human lifespan through cellular rejuvenation. Unity Biotechnology, which has received funding from both Bezos and Thiel, is working on developing therapies to treat age-related diseases.

The investment in Retro Biosciences is a significant development in the field of longevity research, and could have major implications for the future of healthcare. With the support of Altman and other prominent investors, Retro Biosciences is well-positioned to make significant progress in achieving its goal of increasing human lifespan. As the field of longevity research continues to grow, it will be important to monitor the progress of startups like Retro Biosciences and their potential to transform the way we approach healthcare.

The involvement of tech industry leaders like Altman in the field of biotech is also noteworthy, as it highlights the growing intersection between technology and healthcare. As biotech startups continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, it is likely that we will see further collaboration and investment from tech industry leaders in the years to come.

In conclusion, the $1 billion investment in Retro Biosciences is a significant development in the field of longevity research, and could have major implications for the future of healthcare. With the support of prominent investors and the growing trend of billionaire-backed longevity startups, Retro Biosciences is well-positioned to make significant progress in achieving its goal of increasing human lifespan.