As someone who’s spent years covering medical innovation and patient advocacy, I’m thrilled to share some incredible news about a guest we recently featured on “The Heart of Innovation” podcast. Howard Leonhardt, whose groundbreaking work in regenerative medicine we explored on our show, has just been recognized as a semi-finalist in the $101 million XPRIZE Healthspan Competition!
A Pioneer I’ve Watched for Years
I’ve known Howard for quite some time, having first interviewed him for Forbes magazine back around 2014. I later invited him to serve as a judge for the Extreme Tech Challenge with Sir Richard Branson, recognizing his innovative prowess. When I recently discovered he was working on limb salvage technology, I immediately reached out for a Zoom call and was blown away by his latest innovations.
On our podcast, Dr. John Phillips and I had the privilege of diving deep into Howard’s journey as a medical innovator. Howard shared how his career began in the 1980s with the Polycath cardiovascular balloon catheter, followed by the revolutionary Talon stent graft for aortic aneurysms in the 1990s. This technology transformed a four-hour invasive surgery into a minimally invasive procedure through a small puncture in the groin.
What’s remarkable is that Dr. Phillips actually used this very technology just 90 minutes before our recording to save a 93-year-old patient with a ruptured aneurysm! As Howard shared on our show, “Somewhere between 30 and 50 percent of all aortic aneurysms in the world are repaired with the system we had developed in those days.”
The Klotho Breakthrough That Caught XPRIZE’s Attention
What’s particularly exciting about this XPRIZE recognition is that it focuses on Howard’s work with Klotho—a protein he described on our podcast as revolutionary for longevity and health span. His Orange County-based company, Lionheart Health, has been awarded $250,000 as one of just 40 semi-finalists selected from 596 teams across 53 countries.
“Every 4% increase of Klotho that’s sustained over time is expected to increase your health span by one year,” Howard explained during our conversation. “We are positively, absolutely sure with the technology we develop, we can reverse age in anyone 10 years.”
Now Lionheart Health must demonstrate that their treatment can restore muscle, cognitive, and immune function by a minimum of 10 years (with a goal of 20 years) in persons aged 50-80—and the treatment must take one year or less. Having seen Howard’s passion and scientific rigor firsthand, I’m confident they’re up to the challenge.
The Technology That Could Change Everything
During our podcast, Howard walked us through several innovative approaches that are now part of Lionheart Health’s XPRIZE submission:
The BodStem Suit
This FDA-cleared suit uses bioelectric stimulation to dramatically increase Klotho levels. Howard explained that walking with the suit for just 20 minutes delivers the benefits of 2-4 hours of walking without it. Some patients have shown increases in circulating Klotho levels of up to 230%!
When Dr. Phillips asked if there was a simpler way than wearing the suit—maybe just taking a supplement—Howard explained that while turmeric, ginger, and vitamin D can slightly elevate Klotho levels (by 1-2%), the suit delivers dramatically better results.
Regenerative Injections for Limb Salvage
What initially prompted me to reach out to Howard was his work on saving limbs for patients with peripheral artery disease—something we’re passionate about at the Global PAD Association, which supports patients with Peripheral Artery Disease, poor circulation in mainly the legs. Howard described how his team uses targeted injections of “Klotho-expressing mesenchymal stem cells” combined with a nutrient hydrogel to grow new blood vessels and save limbs from amputation.
In a clinical trial in the Czech Republic, this approach saved 12 out of 16 limbs that were days away from amputation. Howard’s passion was evident when he described how it “haunts him” that they couldn’t save all 16 patients.
Bioelectric Stimulation
The technology that appears to have impressed the XPRIZE judges most is Lionheart Health’s use of bioelectric signaling to control and enhance the body’s natural healing processes. Howard credits Dr. Robert Becker’s 1985 book “The Body Electric” as transformative to his thinking, explaining how the body uses electrical signals to coordinate healing and regeneration.
What This Means for Patients
As someone dedicated to patient advocacy, particularly for those with peripheral artery disease, I’m excited about what this recognition means for patients. Howard’s technologies offer hope not just for extended lifespans, but for quality of life improvements for those facing serious health challenges.
According to the press release announcing Lionheart Health’s selection, the company plans to open 124 MedSpa clinics over the next five years specializing in longevity protocols. Locations in New York City and Newport Beach are already open, with sites in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Phoenix, and Mexico launching this summer.
For patients suffering from peripheral artery disease who risk amputation—a focus of our podcast discussion—these innovations offer new hope. Howard’s approach represents a paradigm shift from managing symptoms to actually regenerating healthy tissue.
The Bold Vision That’s Now Closer to Reality
One of the most striking moments in our podcast conversation was Howard’s prediction about the future: “Fifty years from now, 90% of people will be repaired, not in a hospital with drugs or devices or doctors. They will enter a regeneration chamber. They will enter a womb for adults.”
What seemed like a bold vision during our recording is now one step closer to reality. The press release confirms that Lionheart Health is working with partners to develop a whole-body regeneration chamber—literally a “womb for adults”—that combines AI, robotics, stem cells, and bioelectric technology.
Join Us in Following This Journey
As we continue our mission at “The Heart of Innovation” to spotlight breakthrough approaches to cardiovascular and limb health, I’m thrilled to see Howard’s work recognized on such a prestigious global stage. The XPRIZE Healthspan Competition may well accelerate the timeline for bringing these life-changing technologies to patients worldwide.
To learn more about Howard’s work and the BodStem suit that could add years to your healthy lifespan, visit bodstim.com. And please continue to join Dr. Phillips and me on “The Heart of Innovation” podcast as we spotlight the technologies and innovators who are transforming patient care.
This blog post is based on our recent episode of “The Heart of Innovation” podcast, which is produced by patient advocacy group TheWayToMyHeart.org / Global PAD Association in partnership with Reflow Medical. This episode in particular was produced under the original partnership with CSI that was grandfathered into Abbott’s acquisition.
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