Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide, and aging is its biggest driver. We started Vertical Longevity Pharma because we believe there’s a better way to age.

As a scientist and Army veteran, I’ve spent my life facing tough issues head on and finding solutions to complex problems. Our team is developing a therapy that helps the immune system clear out pathogenic cells that accumulate with age and fuel diseases like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, kidney disease, and diabetes. In animal studies, these cells are linked to clogged arteries, inflammation, and reduced lifespan. By targeting them, we aim to reverse the damage and let the body rejuvenate naturally.

We’ve already proven it works in mice. Now we’re raising funds to test it in primates and move toward clinical trials.

But atherosclerosis is just the first step. Join us in changing how the world thinks about growing old.

• Protected the technology with PCT patent application covering multiple aspects to create a moat of opportunity.
• Demonstrated plaque prevention and cardiac function restoration in preclinical mouse studies using our lead candidate.
• Initiated collaborations with Wake Forest University and conversations with Northwestern University for a primate study and additional preclinical efficacy.
• Secured early-stage funding commitments from angel investors and our Tech Transfer office to support IND-enabling studies.
• Assembled a cross-disciplinary founding team with experience spanning immunology, aging biology, regulatory strategy, startup operations, and military leadership.
• Built an expanded advisor network, including experts in vascular biology, toxicology, and translational aging research.
• Targeting heart disease—a market exceeding $144B globally, with additional applications under review in chronic inflammation and age-related disease.

 A Scientific Overview:

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Heart disease kills more people than any other cause worldwide.

Half of adults over age 45 have established clogs in their arteries, and over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack or stroke each year. Despite decades of research into cholesterol-lowering drugs and stents, the underlying clogs that trigger these events continue to grow. Current treatments only manage symptoms—they don’t reverse the disease or clear the clogs.

The root cause? Pathogenic, damaged cells that linger in blood vessels, promote inflammation, and drive plaque formation as we age.

Patients are left with lifelong medication, rising risk, and no path to true recovery. Our customers are adults over age 35 facing a lifetime of pills with no cure in sight.

What if a therapy could reverse the damage in your arteries and give you more healthy years with the people you love?

At Vertical Longevity Pharma, we’re developing that therapy. At its core, it trains your immune system to clear out toxic, aging cells that drive heart disease and other age-related conditions. These pathogenic cells don’t die when they should. Instead, they linger in blood vessels, trigger inflammation, and cause plaque to build up over time.

Our therapy works with the body, not against it. By removing these harmful cells, it gives the body a second chance at healing itself.

Why this matters:

• Current treatments for heart disease can slow it down, but they don’t undo the damage. Our approach is designed to reverse it from the inside out. We’re developing a durable, low-cost protection, especially for older adults who face the greatest danger.

What makes us different:

• Targets the root cause of disease: the pathogenic cell driver, not just cholesterol.
• Delivered as a low-cost immunotherapy, not a daily pill or toxic chemotherapy.
• Built on particles that mimic viruses without any infectious capacity—a proven, safe, scalable platform used in multiple FDA approvals.
• Backed by a PCT patent protecting multiple aspects of use, administration, diseases, and the material itself.
• Developed by a mission-driven team that includes scientists, veterans, and translational medicine experts.

A Deeper Dive:

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We’re not just focused on adding years to life. We’re fighting to give people more life in their years.

Planned revenue streams:

• Insurance reimbursement: Heart attacks create massive costs for insurers, often leaving policies upside down for years. Our pricing strategy aims to be one-sixth the cost of comparable advanced therapies, offering leverage to become the new standard of care.
• Healthcare providers: Hospitals, cardiology clinics, and pharmacies are natural partners for delivery and distribution.
• Public health programs: State and federal initiatives seeking to reduce healthcare expenditures and preserve workforce productivity are potential partners.
• Concierge and longevity clinics: A rapidly expanding market that could drive early adoption and patient demand.
• Global expansion: Following initial U.S. market entry, we plan to expand access worldwide in regions with high prevalence of cardiovascular disease.
• Scalability: Our platform technology is modular, enabling expansion into additional age-related diseases in the future.

Cardiovascular disease represents one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in healthcare, with multiple entry points across insurers, providers, government programs, and private clinics.

• Global Market: An estimated 815 million people worldwide are affected, representing a $144.1B market opportunity, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5%.
• U.S. Market: In the U.S., approximately 92 million adults take—or should take—statins for heart disease management, representing a $22B serviceable addressable market.
• Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM): Based on conservative assumptions, we believe our potential five-year obtainable market is 7.4 million patients.

Why this market is compelling:

• Payers: Every heart attack takes years to recover from, making insurers strong allies in adopting therapies that prevent events.
• Providers: Hospitals, cardiology clinics, and pharmacies are positioned to deliver our therapy at scale.
• Government programs: Heart disease is a leading cause of lost labor and rising Medicare/Medicaid expenditures, creating alignment with public health incentives.
• Concierge and longevity clinics: These clinics represent a fast-growing channel for early adoption among patients seeking advanced preventive care.

Dr. David Scieszka and Vertical Longevity Pharma have been featured in multiple media outlets, highlighting both the scientific innovation and entrepreneurial leadership driving the company’s mission.

Podcasts and Shows

• Optispan Podcast with Dr. Matt Kaeberlein – Discussion of the senolytic vaccine development process, preclinical data, and pathway toward human trials.
• Critical Mass Business Talk Show – Interview with Ric Franzi (June 2025) about scientific innovation and leadership in developing a vaccine targeting arterial plaque.
• International Collegiate Angels Network Podcast – Featured as the founder of Vertical Longevity Pharma, exploring investment opportunities in senolytic therapeutics.

News Articles and Features

• NMN.com – Coverage of VeLo’s work on a tissue-rejuvenating, senolytic vaccine, with emphasis on preclinical progress and human trial planning.
• LiveForever Club – Profile of Dr. Scieszka’s entrepreneurial journey and media appearances.
• UNM HSC News – Mention of Dr. Scieszka’s research on neuroinflammation, linked to his broader aging research.

Academic and Social Mentions

• Aging and Longevity Tech Symposium - Featured expert panelist and pitch presenter
• LinkedIn – Recognition of PhD defense, biotech milestones, and thought leadership in longevity.
• The Toxicological Society – Highlighting Dr. Scieszka’s dual PhD/MBA candidacy and academic contributions.

Recognition & Honors

• Recipient of multiple academic awards for scientific talks and research in aging biology.
• Selected to present at the Gordon Research Conference on the Biology of Aging (Spain) — one of the world’s premier longevity science meetings.
• Earned fellowships and academic distinctions recognizing leadership at the intersection of science and innovation.

Professional Memberships

• Longevity Biotechnology Fellowship
  
• American Aging Association (AGE)
• Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
• International Longevity Alliance
• Society of Toxicology

Dr. David Scieszka has significantly contributed to the scientific progress of aging research through multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Aging and Longevity–Focused Research

• Aging, longevity, and the role of environmental stressors – Frontiers in Toxicology (2023).
• Neurometabolomic impacts of modeled wildfire smoke and protective benefits of anti‑aging therapeutics in aged female C57BL/6J mice – bioRxiv (2025).
• Biomass smoke inhalation promotes neuroinflammatory and metabolomic temporal changes in the hippocampus of female mice – Journal of Neuroinflammation (2023).
• Neuroinflammatory and neurometabolomic consequences from inhaled wildfire smoke–derived particulate matter in the Western United States – Toxicological Sciences (2022).

Additional Scientific Contributions

• NETome: A model to decode the human genome and proteome of neutrophil extracellular traps – Scientific Data (2022).
• Multi-omic assessment shows dysregulation of pulmonary and systemic immunity to e-cigarette exposure – Springer Respiratory Research (2023)
• Subchronic electronic cigarette exposures have overlapping protein biomarkers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis – American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology (2022).

Vertical Longevity Pharma’s mission is both universal and practical. Nearly every family has been touched by heart disease, and aging affects us all. We are pursuing a disciplined, evidence-seeking path that aims to address the cellular drivers of atherosclerosis, with accessibility and cost in mind. This problem is personal, our solution is intelligible, and we’ve developed a plan that is measurable.

Our mission's importance

• Personal relevance: Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, touching nearly every family, making the stakes higher than ever. This is about fathers being able to dance at their daughter’s weddings and grandmothers holding their grandchildren. This is about providing hope for families where there was none before.
• Clear, human outcome: We aim to add healthy, independent years with the people who matter.
• Integrity and rigor: Veteran-led and science-first, we say what we know, what we are testing next, and what would change our minds.
• Built for reach: A platform designed for scale and affordability, aligning investor returns with real public-health benefit.

How investors would join the journey

• Share the roadmap: We plan to provide plain-language updates with clear milestones, rationales, and go or no-go criteria at each step.
• Learn with us: Short primers on the biology, trial design, safety, and ethics so you can track progress with confidence. Join our weekly open forum, held every Friday at 12:00 PM PST.
• Open channels: Regular Q&A sessions and concise briefings that surface questions and incorporate informed feedback.
• Network effects: Share with your friends, clinicians, operators, and payers to accelerate validation and access.
• Impact lens: As milestones land, you see tangible de-risking and a credible line of sight to improving health span at scale.

In short, investing here is an act of stewardship. It is a chance to help advance careful science against a problem that has touched nearly every household, and to participate in a transparent, stepwise effort where each milestone is shared, understood, and earned.