Most health tests tell you what has already gone wrong. GlycanAge biological age testing works differently. It measures what is happening inside your immune system right now, before symptoms appear, using a molecule called glycans. The company is built on over 30 years of glycobiology research and is focused on making personalized preventative HealthCare accessible to individuals and clinicians worldwide.
This is not another wellness app with loose science behind it. GlycanAge is backed by partnerships with institutions including Harvard, Oxford, Johns Hopkins, Yale, and King’s College London, and its research has been published in journals like Nature Communications and Science Advances.
The Science Behind It:
Glycans are complex sugar molecules and one of life’s four essential building blocks, alongside proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. They coat every cell surface in the human body and are attached to more than half of all human proteins. At GlycanAge, the focus is on a specific group of glycans attached to Immunoglobulin G (IgG), the body’s main protective antibody.
These IgG glycans act as switches that regulate immune activity. In younger, healthier bodies, anti-inflammatory glycans dominate. As a person ages or develops unhealthy habits, the balance shifts toward pro-inflammatory glycans. This shift is measurable, and it reflects what researchers call “inflammaging,” a persistent low-grade chronic inflammation that drives many age-related conditions.
One Biomarker That Stands Out:
There are several ways to measure biological age today. Epigenetic clocks track DNA methylation. Telomere tests measure cellular wear. Metabolomic tests analyze circulating molecules. What sets IgG glycan analysis apart is that it is currently the only biomarker that directly reflects chronic inflammation, which is recognized as one of the 12 hallmarks of aging.
Chronic inflammation also captures the combined influence of genetics, epigenetics, environment, and lifestyle in one measurable signal. That is a meaningful distinction for anyone trying to understand not just how old they are biologically, but why.
How The Test Works:
GlycanAge analyzes a blood sample through a five-step lab process. The team isolates IgG antibodies, releases the attached glycans, labels them with a fluorescent dye, measures each type, and then compares your glycan profile against a large reference database to calculate your biological age.
The result is a number that reflects your immune system’s biological age, which can differ significantly from your chronological age. And importantly, glycan profiles can shift in a matter of months in response to lifestyle changes, meaning the test is not just informational but actionable.
The Team Driving It:
GlycanAge was co-founded by Professor Gordan Lauc and his daughter Nikolina Lauc. Professor Lauc is a globally recognized glycobiology researcher who spent decades establishing the link between glycans and chronic inflammation. Nikolina, serving as CEO, leads the company’s strategy and commercialization, with a focus on translating complex science into a product individuals can actually use.
The company also includes CTO Filip Lauc, who built the digital platform, and a medical advisory board with longevity physicians and researchers such as Professor Tim Spector, a leading microbiome expert, and Professor Ronald Schnaar from Johns Hopkins. The scientific advisory board adds another layer of credibility to a space where it matters most.
Built for Prevention:
GlycanAge’s mission is straightforward. The company wants glycan analysis to become a standard part of preventative HealthCare globally, integrated into clinics and hospitals alongside routine assessments. Their work spans individual consumers, HealthCare providers, and research institutions.
The company is also hosting clinical events, including an upcoming “Inflammaging in Clinical Practice” event hosted within ISABS and Mayo Clinic, designed to help clinicians and researchers turn chronic inflammation data into real-world decisions.
For founders and builders working in the longevity, HealthTech, or diagnostics space, GlycanAge represents a model worth studying. It combines deep scientific credibility, a clear use case, and a product that produces results people can act on. That combination is still rare in health innovation.
If you are exploring biological age testing or looking to understand how glycan science applies to preventative health, GlycanAge is a strong starting point for that research.
