To defy ageing, a 46-year-old tech magnate, known for his controversial pursuits, discloses an annual expenditure of $2 million on combating the relentless march of time and resetting his supposed biological clock. Dubbed “Project Blueprint,” his latest endeavour takes him to a secluded Caribbean island for an experimental injectable gene therapy, which comes with a hefty price tag of $25,000 per dose.
Revealing details on Instagram, the millionaire underwent the initial round of follistatin therapy, courtesy of biotech startup Minicircle, in September. Follistatin, a human protein touted for its potential to amplify muscle mass and mitigate inflammation, remains unendorsed by the FDA, with sceptics questioning its efficacy. Notably, Minicircle enjoys backing from influential figures such as billionaire Peter Thiel and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, as reported by Bloomberg. However, the startup has yet to release comprehensive data from its medical trials.
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“Yesterday, I received my first gene therapy: follistatin. I am now a genetically enhanced human (GEH),” declared Johnson, who did not respond to Business Insider’s comment request.
Despite Johnson’s lavish spending on anti-ageing endeavours, Minicircle’s co-founder clarified to Bloomberg that the multimillionaire is exempt from charges. While the startup has yet to address Business Insider’s request for clarification, Mac Davis, the co-founder, highlighted Johnson’s significance, asserting, “Bryan is giving us something worth more than what we would charge him.”
Bryan Johnson in 2018 before he began his antiaging program.Rally/Josh DeAngelis
Claiming to possess the skin of a 28-year-old, the heart of a 37-year-old, and the lung capacity of an 18-year-old, Johnson credits his rejuvenation to his team of doctors at Project Blueprint. However, these assertions lack independent verification, fueling a contentious debate on the ambiguous “biological age.”
In a pivotal shift in 2020, Johnson, primarily recognized for founding the payments processing giant Braintree, pursued immortality. This transformative journey entails relinquishing indulgences like junk food and late nights in favour of adopting a vegan diet supplemented by many supplements. Johnson’s wealth, predominantly derived from selling Braintree to eBay for a staggering $800 million in 2013, now fuels his unorthodox mission against the inevitable passage of time.
