The research aims to generate evidence on whether MitoQ - also known as mitoquinol mesylate, a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant developed by MitoQ New Zealand - can slow or improve markers of biological ageing and support longevity.
The research will also evaluate the effectiveness of biological ageing clocks in assessing health supplements and other interventions more rapidly than conventional long-term clinical trials.
MitoQ New Zealand CEO Mahara Inglis signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Associate Professor Jan Gruber from the Department of Biochemistry and Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at NUS Medicine on May 4, 2026, to formalize the research project.
The research with NUS is also part of MitoQ’s efforts in deepening its research and market growth across Asia, Inglis told NutraIngredients.
In 2023, MitoQ signed a research agreement with researchers from Zhejiang University for a clinical trial aimed at investigating the effects of MitoQ on improving liver health, cardiovascular health, and quality of life in the Chinese population.
The three-month randomized controlled trial, which has now been completed, observed that MitoQ could significantly improve five health dimensions, including liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, energy levels, fatigue, perceived stress and overall quality of life. Findings are expected to be published by the end of this year.
“Science and R&D are at the core of what we do at MitoQ. We already have three decades of research and development, over 1,000 peer reviews, 29 clinical studies, and so we wanted to work with a range of different institutions,” said Inglis. “We are increasingly wanting to expand our regional focus on universities in Asia.”
So far, the company has worked with over 300 academic institutions - including partnerships with the University of Cambridge and Oxford University - through their Mitochondrial Collaborative Research Program (MCRP).
This is a research contact and engagement platform for investigators interested in using mitoquinol in clinical or preclinical research. Most of the 29 clinical studies from MitoQ were also conducted in this manner.
“It is purely academic researchers who have been wanting to understand more about the power of this molecule and the different benefits it can bring. So yes, we invest in and we do fund some clinical research, but an incredible amount is from the academic institutions that put their own research behind finding out more about the power of this ingredient,” said Inglis.
Singapore-New Zealand Leadership Forum (SNZLF)
The MoU signing with NUS was signed as part of the Singapore New Zealand Leadership Forum (SNZLF) held on May 4.
The partnership was acknowledged by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, alongside New Zealand Minister of Finance Nicola Willis, and Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay during the Prime Minister’s official visit to Singapore as part of the Singapore–New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which includes science, technology and innovation as a key pillar.
MitoQ was also the only representative from New Zealand’s health supplement industry chosen to be part of the 30-delegate team that joined the forum.
“MitoQ is kind of a true Kiwi brand, which came out of Otago University when the two vendors developed it. It is headquartered in New Zealand, it is manufactured almost entirely in New Zealand and we’re on an incredible growth journey,” said Inglis.
“We’ve become an icon within New Zealand, of taking New Zealand and New Zealand science and innovation to the world. Through this story and through the success that we’ve had, we gain and build this profile with government relations and so we get selected to be on these sorts of trips.”
More on NUS research
There are two phases to the research with NUS, which is funded by MitoQ.
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.
“It is going to be the first study that is using biological aging clocks to evaluate the specific supplement efficacy around MitoQ or mitoquinol mesylate, and so it gives us a lot more precise insights than traditional clinicals,” said Inglis.
“It really is around informing the personalized supplement recommendations based on the individual’s biological age markers and not just how old they are or their chronological age.”
Dr Siobhan Mitchell, chief scientific officer at MitoQ New Zealand, said that if the first‑phase findings supported clear benefits, the company would intend to share practical guidance, whether that is supplement use, lifestyle strategies, or both, that may support healthy aging and longevity.
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.
“This phase is doing an intervention with MitoQ and then analysing blood for the biomarkers that are part of Linage2 clock, but also building validation for a new clock, Linage3, which might be even more sensitive,” said Dr Mitchell.
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 the use of supplements such as MitoQ in a precision nutrition approach.
“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,” said Prof Gruber. “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.”
