Bryan Johnson aims to extend dogs' lives with longevity interventions

Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, renowned for his personal mission to achieve human longevity with the slogan "Don't die," is now extending his focus to canine health. Johnson recently adopted Katara, a Belgian Malinois, who will serve as his guard dog and the subject of extensive longevity research.

At a recent longevity event in San Francisco, Johnson explained that Katara would be subjected to a version of the rigorous data collection and interventions he employs for himself. "She's going to become the most measured dog in the world," Johnson stated, expressing his belief that dogs are "amazing" subjects for longevity therapies. He highlighted concerns about harmful compounds in commercial dog food and suggested that improvements in canine health could also benefit humans due to their biological similarities.

Johnson expressed frustration with the slow pace of human treatment approvals, noting that the significantly faster drug approval process for animals presents an opportunity to conduct scientific work more rapidly. The field of canine longevity is already seeing activity from startups like Loyal, which is developing the first FDA-approved longevity and lifespan-extension drugs for dogs, and Rejuvenate Bio, which is exploring gene therapy for age-related diseases in animals. Johnson anticipates that convincing pet owners to prioritize their dogs' health will be straightforward, as people often care for their pets better than themselves.