ARDD 2026 brings global pharma, FDA leaders and longevity science pioneers to Harvard October 1–3
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The 13th Aging Research and Drug Discovery Meeting (ARDD 2026) at Harvard University will convene global leaders to discuss the future of longevity biotechnology.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The 13th Aging Research and Drug Discovery Meeting (ARDD 2026), the world’s leading conference dedicated to longevity biotechnology, will bring together global pharmaceutical executives, biotechnology leaders, regulators, investors and leading researchers at the David Rubenstein Treehouse at Harvard University from October 1–3, 2026.
With the full speaker schedule now available, ARDD 2026 will feature three days of discussions spanning aging biology, clinical development, artificial intelligence, pharmaceutical R&D, regulation, investment and the translation of longevity science into new medicines.
The latest program additions include senior representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an XPRIZE Healthspan workshop presenting 11 finalist teams advancing toward Phase 2 clinical trials, and parallel forums focused on AI in drug discovery, pet and animal longevity, and virtual cell models that incorporate aging over time.
“Longevity biotechnology is moving from a largely academic field toward a serious therapeutic industry,” said Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine and co-chair of ARDD 2026. “ARDD brings together the scientists uncovering the mechanisms of aging, the pharmaceutical leaders capable of translating those discoveries into medicines, and the regulators and investors needed to move the field forward. The depth of this year’s program shows how quickly that convergence is taking place.”
Three days at the frontier of longevity biotechnology
The main program opens October 1 with remarks from George Daley, Dean of Harvard Medical School, followed by sessions on healthspan trials, regulatory pathways, clinical practice and the role of major industries in extending healthy longevity. Featured discussions will address how aging therapeutics can move from evidence generation to clinical trials and, ultimately, patient access.
On October 2, Fiona Marshall, President of Biomedical Research at Novartis, will open the scientific program with “Reimagining Drug Discovery Through the Lens of Aging Biology.” Additional sessions will examine pharmaceutical R&D productivity, licensing and partnering, disease-based pathways to longevity therapeutics, and investment across the biotechnology lifecycle. Speakers include leaders from Eli Lilly, Pfizer, GSK, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Astellas, Daiichi Sankyo, Genentech and other global organizations.
The October 3 program will turn to emerging longevity mechanisms and therapeutic strategies, with presentations from leading researchers including David Sinclair, Vadim Gladyshev, George Church, Tony Wyss-Coray, Vishwa Deep Dixit, Steve Horvath and other internationally recognized figures in aging biology and translational medicine.
Across the three days, ARDD 2026 will also convene investors from Deerfield, OrbiMed, Oaktree Capital Management, Danaher Ventures, UBS, Qiming Venture Partners and other firms to examine the financing and commercialization of longevity biotechnology.
