Longevity startup Biopeak has secured US$2.7m in a follow-on round led by NKSquared, the investment vehicle of Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath.

This is Kamath’s second investment in the company after he put US$1.43m into the health optimisation startup in August 2024.

Founded in 2025 by Rishi Pardal and Shiva Subramanian, Biopeak operates India’s first specialised brand aimed at extending lifespans through preventive care.

It opened a clinic in Bengaluru last year and plans to open a second in the coming month.

The funds will be used to expand Biopeak’s operations, including the new clinic and enhancements to its diagnostics, proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) tools, research initiatives and clinical programmes, Pardal told ET. The startup also plans to hire for its clinical, research, product and operations teams while strengthening ties with global advisers for protocol development.

ET reported in June that the wellness and longevity startup raised US$3m in seed funding from Claypond Capital, the family office of Manipal Group chairman Ranjan Pai, Accel India cofounder Prashanth Prakash and existing investor Rainmatter, the investment arm of Zerodha.

Pardal said: “Since our last fundraise, we conclusively proved we can attract clients and deliver outcomes.

“Around August, we started our second flagship store while building capabilities in new diagnostic tests and AI-driven diagnosis for personalised programmes.

“All this requires investment to further validate product-market fit and scale our systems.”

Biopeak targets high achievers, executives and women, relying on programmes mixing advanced diagnostics, specialist teams, wearable data and AI insights tailored to Indian biology and disease patterns.

The model stresses early risk detection, longitudinal tracking and interventions to improve performance and resilience.

Over the past year, Biopeak has grown its client base and clinical offerings amid rising demand for structured longevity services.

Pardal said consumer attitudes towards proactive health are changing in India, but integrated systems linking diagnostics and follow-up remain scarce.

“Longevity and well-being interest is exploding across newspapers, social circles and web searches. People have intent and awareness.” the chief executive added.

The longevity sector is gaining momentum in the country as rising incomes and health awareness drive demand for preventive care beyond traditional episodic treatments.

With life expectancy surpassing 72 years but healthy life expectancy not catching up, such startups are tapping into a market projected to grow in the coming years on the back of India’s ageing population.

Boots will run an obesity drug trial for a new type 2 diabetes medicine at selected stores in England, the chain has revealed.

Boots has partnered with Civia Health to set up clinical research sites at four stores in Nottingham, Brighton, Peterborough and Birmingham, connecting communities to local research opportunities for obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.

Marc Donovan is director of healthcare development at Boots.

He said: “Clinical research plays a vital role in the development of new treatments and therapies, and we are proud to support increased clinical research participation to drive better health outcomes for all.”

The company said this is the first time dedicated clinical research units have been set up in high street pharmacies, enabling people to take part in convenient locations.

Boots said the first study to be conducted by Civia Health at its stores is a Phase 3 trial, a late-stage study that tests safety and effectiveness before approval, focused on a new obesity and type 2 diabetes medicine.

Customers at Boots stores will be able to join Civia Health’s longitudinal health registry, Thrive, which tracks participants’ health over time, and access free health screenings.

The screenings will include measurements such as height, weight, blood pressure and blood tests to help people understand their health and identify studies for which they may be eligible.

Civia will deploy its clinical teams, technology and operational standards to the participating Boots stores to screen and enrol participants, bringing research capability to the high street and providing convenient locations for study appointments.

As part of the partnership, Boots will also provide details of research opportunities to its customers to support recruitment.

Mark Campbell, chief executive of Civia Health, said: “For too long, clinical research sites have been in out-of-town and hard-to-find locations that can feel unfamiliar.

“Instead of relying on the small number of people who actively seek out studies, we’re bringing research to a broader, more diverse group – people who might benefit but would never have found us otherwise.”

L-Nutra will establish an Abu Dhabi centre to produce medical and longevity nutrition for the Middle East and North Africa.

The company has added US$36.5m to its Series D, taking the round to US$83.5m and supporting plans for a joint venture to make medical and longevity nutrition for the region.

Founded in 2009 by longevity researcher Valter Longo, L-Nutra turns research on fasting and metabolic health into structured nutrition programmes.

It is known for the “fasting mimicking diet”, which provides specific nutrients in set ratios so cells act as if fasting while still being nourished. This underpins its consumer brand ProLon and its medical nutrition for chronic conditions.

L-Nutra says its work is supported by dozens of clinical trials and a substantial patent portfolio.

Recent research with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UT Health San Antonio found a five-day ProLon fasting mimicking diet improved weight and blood sugar markers, and increased autophagy, the body’s process of breaking down and recycling damaged cells.

Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company manages about US$330bn across sectors and has backed longevity firms including Juvena Therapeutics, Juvenescence and Rejuveron. It is providing the strategic investment.

“This investment reinforces Abu Dhabi’s ambition to expand as a regional hub for longevity science, preventive health, and advanced nutrition technologies, and operates as a natural extension of the sector capabilities we are building across the UAE’s emerging life sciences ecosystem.” said Mubadala’s Ismail Ali Abdulla.

“We are on the cusp of enhancing human healthspan, adding years to our life and life to our years,” said L-Nutra chief executive Dr Joseph Antoun.

“By reformulating food into clinically validated nutrition programmes, we now can support patients and individuals seeking to embark on a healthy longevity journey.”