ZEO ScientifiX Selected for XPRIZE Healthspan Semi-Finals

Cutting-edge regenerative medicine technologies aim to restore cellular function and slow the aging process from within.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:33am

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A highly detailed, ghostly X-ray image revealing the complex internal structure of a human cell or tissue sample, conveying a sense of scientific discovery and the potential of regenerative medicine to address the fundamental biology of aging.Cutting-edge regenerative therapies aim to restore cellular function and slow the aging process from within.Davie Today

ZEO ScientifiX, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has been selected as a Qualified Team advancing into the Semi-Finals stage of the XPRIZE Healthspan, a $101 million global competition to develop therapeutics that can restore muscle, cognitive, and immune function by 10-20 years in people aged 65-80. ZEO's regenerative biologics platform, including extracellular vesicle (exosome) therapies, will now progress to the Finals Application phase.

Why it matters

The XPRIZE Healthspan competition represents a major milestone in the field of regenerative medicine, moving beyond treating individual diseases to directly addressing the underlying biology of aging. ZEO's selection as a Semi-Finalist highlights the potential of its innovative therapeutic approach to improve healthy longevity across multiple physiological systems.

The details

To prepare its Finals Application, ZEO has assembled a world-class multidisciplinary team with deep expertise in clinical medicine, gene therapy, regenerative biologics, and clinical trial execution. This includes renowned experts such as Dr. George C. Shapiro, Dr. Bill Andrews, Dr. Brian Kennedy, and others. During the Semi-Finals stage, ZEO will seek to advance its therapeutic platform into controlled clinical evaluation to generate human data on safety, biological activity, and functional outcomes.

  • ZEO was selected as a Qualified Team advancing to the XPRIZE Healthspan Semi-Finals on April 7, 2026.
  • ZEO is now preparing its Finals Application for the next stage of the competition.

The players

ZEO ScientifiX, Inc.

A clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the research, development, and manufacturing of regenerative biologics, operating out of Nova Southeastern University's Center of Collaborative Research.

Dr. George C. Shapiro, MD, FACC

Chief Medical Officer of ZEO ScientifiX, a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease with more than 35 years of clinical experience and has served as principal investigator on multiple FDA-regulated clinical studies.

Elizabeth Parrish

Founder and CEO of BioViva, a pioneer in human gene therapy focused on telomerase and longevity pathways.

Dr. Bill Andrews, PhD

A leading authority in telomere biology, widely recognized for his work in cellular aging and telomerase activation.

Dr. Brian Kennedy, PhD

Former CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and current leader of the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at the National University of Singapore.

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What they’re saying

“We believe that this represents a pivotal moment in medicine. We are moving from treating disease to directly influencing the biology of aging. Our focus is on translating regenerative biologic science into clinically actionable therapies that can improve function across multiple systems.”

— Dr. George C. Shapiro, MD, FACC, Chief Medical Officer of ZEO ScientifiX

What’s next

During the Semi-Finals stage, ZEO will seek to advance its therapeutic platform into controlled clinical evaluation, generating human data on safety, biological activity, and functional outcomes across key domains including muscle, cognition, and immune function. The data generated is expected to support the execution of controlled clinical trials aligned with XPRIZE Healthspan's objectives.

The takeaway

The selection of ZEO ScientifiX as a Semi-Finalist for the prestigious XPRIZE Healthspan competition underscores the immense potential of regenerative medicine technologies to address the fundamental biology of aging and improve healthy longevity. This milestone represents a significant step forward in the field, with implications for transforming how we approach healthcare and disease prevention in the decades to come.