Living Longer, Living Better: Perspectives from F-Prime, Forbion, Stanford, and Milken Institute | WXPRESS October Edition

October 30, 2025

As lifespans lengthen, the next frontier is clear: narrowing the gap between how long we live and how long we live well. In this edition, we explore healthy aging through four complementary lenses: drug development, investment, lifestyle, and policy.

On the therapeutics front, FBRI President Dr. Stacie Weninger outlines a pragmatic playbook for de-risking targets and redesigning trials with affordable, multiplexed blood biomarkers and fit-for-purpose cognitive tests. From the investor’s view, Forbion General Partner Dr. Marco Boorsma discusses how larger, disciplined funds are accelerating programs across age-related metabolic, fibrotic, renal, and neurodegenerative diseases, and what it takes to build sustainable, impactful companies in this space.

From the daily life perspective, Dr. Joseph C. Wu, Director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, centers healthy aging on prevention, emphasizing “Life’s Essential 8” at a time when 1.4 billion people live with hypertension and only one in five have it under control. And from a societal lens, Diane Ty, Managing Director of the Milken Institute Future of Aging, reframes longevity around healthspan, calling for prevention-first care, stronger caregiver support, aging-ready technologies that meet people where they live, and policies that make these advances accessible.

We hope you enjoy these perspectives. At WuXi AppTec, we are proud to help translate science into solutions through our global CRDMO platform and honored to help advance breakthroughs that improve healthspan for patients and families worldwide.

SPOTLIGHT ON: LIVING LONGER, LIVING BETTER

De-Risking the Brain: A Conversation with Dr. Stacie Weninger, President of the F-Prime Biomedical Research Initiative

In high-stakes neuroscience, Dr. Stacie Weninger, President of F-Prime’s Biomedical Research Initiative (FBRI) and Venture Partner at F-Prime Capital, works at the nexus of foundational science and company creation. A co-founder of Denali Therapeutics and Neumora and a recent co-leader of Tenvie’s $200M financing, she supports a clear playbook: de-risk novel targets, double down on small molecules, and redesign trials with affordable biomarkers and real-world data.

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Advancing Age-Related Therapies: A Conversation with Dr. Marco Boorsma, General Partner, Forbion

Last year, Forbion closed more than €2 billion across two new funds, breaking its own record. The capital will support roughly 30 portfolio companies, accelerating innovative biotechs and advancing therapies for patients worldwide. Dr. Marco Boorsma, General Partner, has helped shape Forbion’s investment strategy from seed to late stage. Drawing on deep experience building companies around breakthrough science, he shares insights on the bold opportunities driving age-related therapeutic innovation.

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Aging Well, Starting with the Heart: A Conversation with Dr. Joseph C. Wu, Director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute

Hypertension affects 1.4 billion people worldwide, yet only one in five manage it. Against this backdrop, we spoke with Dr. Joseph C. Wu, Director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and the Simon H. Stertzer, MD, Professor of Medicine and Radiology. A leading physician-scientist in cardiovascular and regenerative medicine, Dr. Wu discusses prevention, “Life’s Essential 8,” and how science and lifestyle together can extend healthspan.

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Closing the Gap: A Conversation with Diane Ty, Managing Director, Future of Aging, Milken Institute

Longevity isn’t just adding years; it’s adding life to those years. Diane Ty, Managing Director of the Milken Institute Future of Aging, works at the intersection of policy, innovation, and community to close the healthspan–lifespan gap. She champions prevention-first models, caregiver support, age-inclusive design, and technologies that meet older adults where they live. In our conversation, Ty outlines practical levers to make healthy aging attainable at scale.

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Living Longer, Living Better: Perspectives from F-Prime, Forbion, Stanford, and Milken Institute | WXPRESS October Edition

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