Welcome to the April 2026 Business by LA Times Studios Magazine

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the April 2026 edition of Business by LA Times Studios. In this issue, we explore the rapidly evolving landscape of the Southern California economy, from the biotech labs of Westwood to the executive suites of Burbank. The region continues to serve as a global incubator for both scientific breakthroughs and strategic shifts in work and communication.

Our cover story, “Inside Niagen Bioscience’s Longevity Play,” takes you deep into the business of wellness. Led by CEO Rob Fried, the company has achieved the rare feat of operating a profitable consumer supplement brand, Tru Niagen, while simultaneously fueling a clinical drug pipeline for rare diseases. As the longevity market moves into the mainstream, we examine how the company’s proprietary IP has allowed it to grow within the skincare sector, a market worth a projected $227 billion.

We are also closely following another breakthrough “taking root” in our own backyard: Pelage Pharmaceuticals. Based at the UCLA campus biotech incubator, this lean startup recently raised $120 million to support late-stage clinical trials for a topical gel aimed at hair regrowth. It’s a compelling look at how regenerative medicine is meeting a massive consumer demand for wellness and aesthetics.

Beyond the lab, this month’s issue highlights several critical trends:

• Human-Centric HR: We explore why HR teams are suddenly scrambling for liberal arts talent to provide the nuanced “nonsense detection” and cultural awareness that AI still struggles to replicate.
• The Future of Presentations: New data shows that personalizing sales decks can increase full-read engagement by up to 47%, driving a shift toward modernized, AI-powered design tools like Beautiful.ai and Pitch.
• Entertainment Powerhouses: We analyze the $133.5-million economic impact of the Golden Globes and the tectonic shifts expected from the proposed $110-billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Finally, we are proud to present our annual rankings of the Top Life Science Companies and honor the Life Sciences Visionaries who are architecting the future of healthcare.