TUKWILA, WA – Ora Biomedical, Inc. announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR
Phase I contract in the amount of $75,000 focused on developing novel therapeutics to address
the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research
Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small
business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential
applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead
by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF
began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of
innovations the DAF funded and now on May 24th, Ora Biomedical will start its journey to
create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United
States of America.
“Ora Biomedical was founded on the understanding that age-targeting longevity interventions
have a myriad of uses that all go toward promoting the healthiest, longest lives we can live.
High-altitude pilots and astronauts are subject to high levels of radiation and other physiological
stressors that longevity interventions have shown to be protective against” says Ora Biomedical
CTO, Dr. Ben Blue. “We are excited to work with AFWERX and stakeholders in the U.S. Air
Force and Space Force to develop longevity interventions for important new uses in maintaining
health and maximizing readiness of service-members. This is the first step forward in an
innovative project to translate longevity research into real-world applications while meeting the
needs of the next era of space exploration”.
About AFWERX
As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory,
AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to
address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 325
military, civilian and contractor personnel at six hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion
budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed 4,697 contracts worth more than $2.6 billion to
strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational
capability.
About Ora Biomedical, Inc.
Ora Biomedical, Inc. is a longevity biotechnology company headquartered in Tukwila, WA.
Launched out of the University of Washington School of Medicine in 2022, Ora Biomedical
develops interventions that maximize readiness and healthy lifespan by targeting the molecular
mechanisms that drive aging itself. Ora uses best-in-class robotics and AI to perform highthroughput,
high-precision phenotypic testing in live animals with lifespan, healthspan, and
stress resistance as primary endpoints. www.orabiomedical.com.