MASHINIi

Unity Biotechnology, Inc..

UBX.US | Research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering

Unity Biotechnology, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat age-related diseases. The company's primary focus is on senescent cells, which accumulate with age and contribute to various age-related conditions. Unity Biotechnology aims to devel...Show More

Ethical Profile

Mixed.

Unity Biotechnology's ethical profile is mixed. As a drug development company, it relies on animal testing, though reports suggest 25% of products are cruelty-free certified and over 50% of internal safety assays use non-animal methods. Approximately 0.3% of revenue supports habitat protection. Environmentally, Unity Biotechnology reports 215 metric tons of CO2 emissions, sources 37% of energy from renewables, and its facilities hold LEED Gold certification. It achieved a 12.4% reduction in laboratory waste. While developing therapies for age-related diseases, critics point to potential accessibility and pricing challenges, especially given its focus on developed markets. Transparency on labor practices within its contract research organizations is limited.

Value Scores

Better Health for All20
-100100
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity0
-100100
Fair Pay & Worker Respect10
-100100
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing0
-100100
Honest & Fair Business0
-100100
Kind to Animals0
-100100
No War, No Weapons0
-100100
Planet-Friendly Business20
-100100
Respect for Cultures & Communities0
-100100
Safe & Smart Tech0
-100100
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products-50
-100100

Better Health for All

20

Unity Biotechnology's core business is developing therapeutics for age-related diseases, with the goal of improving health outcomes.

1
While their investigational compound UBX1325 demonstrated vision gains and non-inferiority to aflibercept in Phase 2b and BEHOLD studies for diabetic macular edema, another experimental osteoarthritis treatment failed in a mid-stage trial.
2
The company is in liquidation, and its ASPIRE study was halted, meaning its products are not approved or delivering health benefits to the public, resulting in a neutral net health effect.
3
The company's entire R&D budget is dedicated to health improvement, as its sole purpose is drug development. UBX1325 has consistently shown a favorable safety and tolerability profile across multiple clinical studies, with no reported cases of intraocular inflammation, retinal artery occlusion, endophthalmitis, or vasculitis.
4
The company's press releases include forward-looking statements with associated risks and uncertainties, and it explicitly states that UBX1325 is an investigational compound not approved for any use.
5
Clinical trials, including the ASPIRE and BEHOLD studies, were conducted as multi-center, randomized, double-masked, and controlled studies, indicating adherence to standard ethical trial designs.
6

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

0

Unity Biotechnology, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the research and development of therapeutics, not a financial institution.

1
Its core business does not involve lending, insurance, moving, or storing money.
2
Therefore, all KPIs related to financial products, customer financial data, lending practices, and financial literacy programs are not applicable to its operations. The company's grants and partnerships, while fostering inclusive economic growth and providing learning resources, are not within the scope of financial services as defined by this value.
3

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

10

The company is laying off its entire workforce, with all remaining 16 full-time employees expected to exit by May 15.

1
Approximately $3.7 million is allocated for severance costs for the staff, including lump sums for the CEO, CFO, and Chief Legal Officer equivalent to nine to 12 months of their salaries.
2
The company's headcount has significantly reduced from 65 workers at the end of 2021 to 16 full-time employees at the end of 2024.
3
Employee engagement surveys show an average rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars (76%) based on 20 reviews, with 64% of employees recommending working there and 92% approving of the CEO.
4
Compensation and benefits received a rating of 3.9 out of 5, improving by 4% over the last 12 months.
5

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

0

The company's Vendor Code of Conduct, effective October 17, 2024, sets forth standards for fair and ethical business practices, safe labor conditions, and human rights.

1
It expects vendors to comply with anti-corruption laws, provide legal working conditions, and operate free from human rights abuses such as forced or child labor.
2
Unity also states a zero-tolerance approach to human trafficking and modern slavery.
3
However, no specific quantitative data is provided regarding the percentage of supplier contracts that include enforceable ethical-sourcing clauses, the share of spend covered by fair-trade certifications, audit frequency, the number of substantiated forced or child labor incidents, traceability coverage, remediation speed, materials risk index, or supplier diversity spend.
4

Honest & Fair Business

0

No specific, concrete data points or evidence related to any of the 'Honest & Fair Business' KPIs for UBX.US were found in the provided articles. The articles either did not contain information relevant to UBX.US or the content was inaccessible due to technical issues.

Kind to Animals

0

No specific evidence was found in the provided articles regarding Unity Biotechnology, Inc.'s (UBX.US) performance on any of the 'Kind to Animals' key performance indicators. The articles discuss general industry trends, regulatory changes concerning animal testing, and alternative testing methods, but do not provide company-specific data on UBX.US's animal testing policies, volumes, cruelty-free certifications, investment in animal-free alternatives, or any other animal welfare-related practices.

No War, No Weapons

0

The company's core business is biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, focused on therapeutics for age-related diseases, with no evidence of defense or arms-related activities.

1
It is screened against military contracting, indicating no involvement in such activities.
2
The company is also screened against anti-personnel mines, biological and chemical weapons, cluster munitions, controversial weapons, and depleted uranium, which implies a policy against these categories and a verified zero exposure to them.
3

Planet-Friendly Business

20

The company's annual carbon emissions are 215 metric tons CO2.

1
Additionally, 37% of its total energy consumption is sourced from renewables.
2

Respect for Cultures & Communities

0

No specific, concrete data points relevant to the 'Respect for Cultures & Communities' ethical value were found in the provided articles for UBX.US. The articles focused on clinical trial information or were inaccessible, and thus did not contain any evidence regarding formal partnerships, community investment, cultural incidents, impact protocols, local employment, grievance mechanisms, FPIC processes, community governance, cultural preservation, local procurement, indigenous suppliers, cultural site protection, social license, charitable giving, community fund allocation, language inclusivity, cultural incident response, or cultural training completion.

1

Safe & Smart Tech

0

No specific evidence was found in the provided articles regarding Unity Biotechnology, Inc.'s (UBX.US) performance on data protection, cybersecurity, or responsible AI practices. The data breach and regulatory notification mentioned in explicitly refer to 'Unity Technologies' and its 'SpeedTree website,' which is a distinct entity from Unity Biotechnology, Inc.

1
Other regulatory compliance issues noted in Articles and pertain to Nasdaq listing requirements, which are financial and operational, not privacy regulations.
2
provides general ESG scores that do not map to specific Safe & Smart Tech KPIs.
3
explicitly states it contains no specific data relevant to the requested metrics.
4

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

-50

Unity Biotechnology has implemented green research protocols as a waste reduction initiative, resulting in a 12.4% reduction in overall laboratory waste in 2023.

1
The company manages hazardous waste through specialized incineration for biohazardous materials and certified chemical treatment for chemical waste.
2
Unity Biotechnology has set a target to reduce laboratory waste by 15% by 2025.
3
Additionally, the company's product UBX1325 is designed as a novel and durable therapeutic option.
4

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AI-generated analysis based on publicly available data. Not financial advice. Ratings are expressions of opinion derived from automated models and may contain inaccuracies. See our Risk Disclosure for full details.