Linnaeus Therapeutics Announces Selection of LNS8801 into the National Institute on Aging Interventions Testing Program
Selection by both the NIA ITP and ARPA-H PROSPR programs highlights growing recognition of LNS8801’s potential to promote healthy aging
HADDONFIELD, N.J., June 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Linnaeus Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held company focused on the development and commercialization of small molecule therapeutics for diseases of aging, today announced that its lead drug candidate, LNS8801, has been selected for evaluation in the National Institute on Aging’s (NIA) Interventions Testing Program (ITP). LNS8801 has completed pilot testing and is proceeding to lifespan testing as part of the 2026 ITP cohort.
The NIA ITP is a highly competitive, peer-reviewed program that evaluates interventions for their ability to extend lifespan and delay age-related disease and dysfunction. Agents selected for the ITP are tested under standardized operating procedures across three independent sites: The Jackson Laboratory, the University of Michigan, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The program uses genetically heterogeneous UM-HET3 mice, a well-established aging model designed to improve the reproducibility and translational relevance of preclinical longevity studies.
“Selection of LNS8801 for the NIA ITP provides an important opportunity to evaluate GPER activation through one of the most rigorous and established preclinical programs for testing interventions that may extend lifespan,” said Christopher Natale, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Linnaeus Therapeutics. “This study is highly complementary to our ARPA-H PROSPR-supported program. PROSPR is focused on whether LNS8801 can preserve healthspan and intrinsic capacity, while the ITP will independently evaluate whether LNS8801 can extend lifespan and delay age-related decline in a benchmark preclinical model.”
Linnaeus was recently awarded a contract of up to $22 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) through the PROactive Solutions for Prolonging Resilience (PROSPR) program to advance LNS8801 for healthspan preservation. The PROSPR-supported program will evaluate whether LNS8801 can preserve intrinsic capacity, measured across domains such as mobility, cognition, vitality, sensory function, and psychological health.
“Together, NIA ITP selection and the ARPA-H PROSPR award create a powerful framework for evaluating LNS8801 across two related but distinct dimensions of aging biology: functional resilience and lifespan,” said Patrick Mooney, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Linnaeus Therapeutics. “We believe this independent evaluation reflects the strength of the scientific rationale for GPER activation and further supports our broader strategy to develop LNS8801 as a therapeutic candidate for diseases of aging.”
The ITP was established by the NIA, part of the National Institutes of Health, in 2002 and has identified multiple agents and combinations that significantly increase median lifespan. All lifespan results, both positive and negative, are submitted for publication, and data are made publicly available through the ITP Data Coordinating Center following publication.
About LNS8801
LNS8801 is a first-in-class, only-in-class, oral, selective agonist of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER). GPER is a nonclassical estrogen receptor implicated in multiple protective biological processes relevant to aging, including cancer biology, cardiovascular function, metabolic regulation, inflammation, and neuroprotection. Unlike classical estrogen receptor activation, selective GPER activation is designed to engage protective estrogen-linked biology without classical hormonal effects mediated by ERα or ERβ. In ongoing clinical studies in patients with advanced cancers, LNS8801 monotherapy has been safe and well tolerated, with no dose-limiting toxicities observed. Clinical data have demonstrated target engagement and evidence of clinical activity, and a predictive biomarker associated with response has been identified. These findings, together with emerging cardiometabolic observations in patients treated with LNS8801, support continued evaluation of LNS8801 beyond oncology.
About Linnaeus Therapeutics
Linnaeus Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel small-molecule therapeutics targeting G protein-coupled receptors. Linnaeus is advancing LNS8801 across oncology and emerging healthspan-related indications through an integrated translational and clinical development strategy.
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