The core mission is to pause a patient's biological clock, giving them a chance to access treatments that might become available months or years later. This reframes a futuristic concept into a practical, urgent form of critical care for the terminally ill, bridging the gap to a future cure.
Reversible cryopreservation is already a reality for human embryos, which have remained viable after 30 years in storage. The central challenge for companies like Until is not a fundamental scientific breakthrough, but rather solving the complex engineering problems of applying this proven concept to larger biological systems like organs.
While futuristic applications like traveling to Mars are technically possible, the primary barrier is social, not technical. Most people would not choose to 'hibernate' recreationally because it means abandoning their entire social context and relationships, making the technology most suitable for dire medical situations where death is the only alternative.
Instead of tackling whole-body cryopreservation directly, Until focuses on the tangible market of organ transplantation. This provides a clear product roadmap, addresses an immediate medical need, and serves as an essential technological proof point. Success here is a non-negotiable prerequisite for the more ambitious long-term mission.
The problem is unique because engineering improvements, like faster temperature modulation, can lessen biological hurdles. For instance, more rapid cooling reduces the time spent in the 'danger zone' for ice crystal formation, thereby lowering the required concentration of potentially toxic cryoprotectant agents. This creates powerful leverage not common in biology.
The brief viability of organs creates a logistical nightmare. Surgeons fly on chartered jets to retrieve organs, while recipients must remain within a small radius of the hospital, unable to travel. Cryopreservation's immediate impact would be to remove time as a variable, allowing for scheduled surgeries and a more humane patient experience.
Laura Deming's co-founder, Hunter, wasn't swayed by existing research. His initial skepticism turned to conviction only after he independently re-derived the fundamental physics of ice formation from first principles. This illustrates the depth of technical diligence required to validate radical ideas and build a foundation for tackling seemingly sci-fi challenges.