image: From L to R: Hon Nicola Willis, New Zealand Minister of Finance; Mahara Inglis, Chief Executive Officer, MitoQ; Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand; Associate Professor, Jan Gruber, NUS Medicine, National University of Singapore; Hon Todd McClay, New Zealand Minister for Trade.
Credit: MitoQ
The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) today announced a research partnership with MitoQ New Zealand to examine the potential role of MitoQ® (mitoquinol mesylate), a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, in supporting healthy ageing. Building on existing scientific literature, the partnership aims to generate evidence on whether MitoQ® can slow or improve markers of biological ageing and support longevity potential. The joint study will also evaluate the effectiveness of biological ageing clocks in assessing health supplements and other interventions more rapidly than conventional long-term clinical trials.
Mitochondria are structures inside cells responsible for producing up to 95% of a body’s energy, particularly in high-demand organs such as the heart, brain, liver, and muscles. As these structures produce energy, they also generate free radicals which contribute to oxidative stress over time—damaging cells and leading to early signs of ageing such as fatigue, brain fog, compromised immunity and slower recovery. MitoQ® (mitoquinol mesylate) is a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant developed by cellular health supplements brand MitoQ New Zealand to help reduce oxidative damage at the source to support healthy ageing, and help individuals maintain function, resilience and overall wellbeing as they age.
The partnership will enable NUS Medicine researchers to evaluate existing evidence and conduct further clinical studies. Findings from this work are expected to contribute to a more rigorous understanding of mitochondrial biology, ageing processes, and the role of emerging biomarkers in assessing health interventions. The research collaboration was formalised by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Mr Mahara Inglis, Chief Executive Officer of MitoQ New Zealand, and Associate Professor Jan Gruber from the Department of Biochemistry and Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at NUS Medicine, and formally commemorated at the Singapore-New Zealand Leadership Forum (SNZLF) in Singapore on 4 May 2026. The partnership was acknowledged by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, alongside The Hon Nicola Willis (Minister of Finance) and The Hon Todd McClay (Minister for Trade and Investment), during the Prime Minister’s official visit to Singapore, under the broader context of the Singapore–New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which includes science, technology and innovation as a key pillar.
Assoc Prof Jan Gruber, who will lead the research, said, “Our goal is to strengthen the evidence base on how widely used supplements work, so that individuals can make more informed, evidence-driven decisions about ageing well. This research aligns with Singapore’s long-term priorities in healthy ageing, disease prevention and productive longevity, contributes to Singapore-led research on biological ageing and supports longer-term international collaboration in healthy longevity science.”
Under the partnership, the research will apply biological ageing clocks alongside other health measures—including vascular and cognitive markers—to assess whether the supplement influences one’s biological age. NUS Medicine researchers, including Assoc Prof Jan Gruber, have previously led studies examining the effects of MitoQ® on biological ageing in pre-clinical models. This partnership provides an opportunity to extend such work into clinical studies.
The research work will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase, which is expected to take place from May to September 2026, the team will analyse samples from an existing three-month study involving 150 participants, using the LinAge3 biological ageing clock and blood samples. LinAge3 is an algorithm-based tool that provides a practical and accurate measure of biological ageing, enabling prediction of long-term mortality risk over 10- and 20-year horizons, as well as key health outcomes including disease risk and physical and cognitive function. In the second phase, beginning in July 2026, the team will conduct a controlled trial involving approximately 100 participants, combining questionnaire-based assessments with epigenetic clocks and the LinAge biological ageing clock. This phase will involve the validation of the results through analysis of multiple molecular layers from blood samples. The research is expected to be completed in December 2027, and the findings will guide the team’s plans for further clinical interventions using biological ageing clocks to inform use of supplements such as MitoQ® in a precision nutrition approach.
Dr Siobhan Mitchell, Chief Scientific Officer, MitoQ New Zealand added “Scientific research and R&D have always been at the core of MitoQ, and for decades we have focused on how mitochondria influence health and ageing. Our mitochondria‑targeted antioxidant MitoQ® (mitoquinol mesylate) is supported by three decades of research and clinical data, including over 1,000 peer‑reviewed publications and 29 clinical trials focused on mitochondrial health and healthy ageing. We are delighted to partner with Associate Professor Jan Gruber and his team at NUS Medicine to deepen the understanding of the role that mitochondria‑targeted interventions like MitoQ® may play in supporting healthy ageing.”