LifeBio Secures Phase IIB SBIR Grant 

Marysville, Ohio – September 23, 2025 – LifeBio, Inc. announced today that it has received a Phase IIB Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to advance research and development of its award-winning LifeBio Memory (LBM) app. This new funding will enable LifeBio to create and validate a multi-language, AI-powered reminiscence therapy platform designed to serve older adults living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or those at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are increasing at an alarming rate, creating an urgent demand for scalable, affordable, and evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions. Reminiscence therapy (RT)—the process of sharing and reflecting on meaningful life experiences—has been shown to improve cognition, reduce depressive symptoms, and enhance quality of life in older adults.

Building on the success of its previous NIA-funded Phase II project which studied outcomes in nursing homes, assisted living, and memory care, LifeBio will now expand its reach to community-dwelling older adults and their caregivers.

Key features of the next-generation LifeBio Memory app will include:

  • Multi-Language AI Story Capture and Life Story Book Creation
  • AI-Powered Multimedia Playback
  • Reminiscence Therapy Videos, Games, and Activities

“This project takes reminiscence therapy to the next level,” said Lisbeth Sanders, Founder & CEO of LifeBio. “By making LifeBio Memory available in many languages with end-to-end processing, we can help more older adults share their life stories, strengthen engagement, and improve emotional well-being—while potentially slowing the progression of cognitive decline.”

The Phase IIB study will be led in collaboration with Dr. Kyeung Mi Oh, nurse scientist with gerontology experience at George Mason University (GMU). The study will include usability testing and a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial with caregiver–care recipient pairs (dyads). Outcomes will evaluate improvements in quality of life, depression, loneliness, and relationship closeness. 

The LifeBio Memory platform will provide an affordable, widely scalable, and clinically validated intervention for individuals living with MCI or those at risk of ADRD—supporting both older adults and the caregivers who love them. The app may also be used in cognitive speech therapy to improve communication and cognitive skills.  

LifeBio Memory Phase IIB was supported by the National Institute On Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R44AG069566. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

 

Media Contact:
Lisbeth Sanders
Founder & CEO
LifeBio, Inc.
937-303-4574
bsanders@lifebio.com