Birmingham-based Yuva Biosciences is growing its efforts to find a scientific solution for anti-aging and longevity.

The company, which spun out of research conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and is headquartered in Innovation Depot, said it is looking to hire three new scientists early this year to help it tackle the growing cosmeceutical market – a hybrid of science-based cosmetics and pharmaceuticals – including age-related diseases like neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

“We see Yuva Bio becoming a leader in mitochondrial science with multiple opportunities to help people over time,” said Greg Schmergel, chairman of Yuva Bio’s board of directors and a Boston-based entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience launching high-tech startups.

Yuva’s scientific founder and chief scientific officer is Dr. Keshav Singh, a global leader in mitochondrial biology at UAB, who found that mitochondrial science can play a role in reversing skin aging and hair loss.

Mitochondrial DNA, which are tiny parts of cells responsible for producing 90 percent of the chemical energy needed for a cell to survive, declines as humans age, and by tapping into mitochondrial DNA and working to restore its function, the Yuva Bio team thinks it can effectively combat aging.

“This starts with reversing hair loss and skin wrinkles and then, longer-term, includes helping with both rare mitochondrial diseases and aging-related diseases and disorders that have a significant mitochondrial dysfunction component,” said Schmergel. “This means that Yuva Bio has many opportunities to grow and that just about everyone in the world can be helped by one or more of the potential products Yuva Bio could develop.”

The anti-aging market is worth upwards of $11 billion, and Yuva, which means “youth” in Hindi, hopes to have a topical product on the market within four years, said Saksham Narang, Yuva Bio’s director of strategy and development.

“Fundraising trends for the longevity market indicate that there is a lot of excitement around the space, as well as potential for sizable returns,” Narang said. “Investment dollars have nearly doubled every year since 2016, and Yuva Bio is excited to be a part of the conversation. We have already identified a number of compounds that have shown to be efficacious in targeting aging-related pathologies. With roots in mitochondrial science, we aim to be a leader in the longevity movement.”

The longevity space is an emerging vertical in health care, Narang said, with most companies targeting this space headquartered in places like San Francisco, Boston and New York City. As it grows, Yuva Bio will continue to be headquartered in Birmingham, Narang said.

“Birmingham boasts a very collaborative ecosystem, from the entrepreneurs to the organizations,” he said. “The community has been tremendously encouraging, and we are appreciative of all the support. We are proud to be headquartered here in Birmingham.”

The Birmingham Business Alliance has worked with Yuva Bio since its launch last year, Narang said.

“The BBA has been and continues to be a great resource for any startup in the ecosystem,” he said. “They have made strides in helping us identify and leverage the resources available to innovative companies like ours.”

The company primarily works with the BBA’s Vice President of Innovation and Technology Jon Nugent.

“The BBA is excited to support Yuva Bio as it develops its novel technology,” Nugent said. “We have been proud to partner with its team of world-class executives to provide insight and guidance on key strategic issues.”