Even before Generative AI (GenAI) caught fire, drug discovery was an area of intense interest for researchers. AI is a powerful tool for sorting through many possible solutions to a problem, and biology is well known for having enormous solution spaces that need thorough analysis.
Even after the hard work of identifying a dysfunctional protein or pathway whose modification might heal a patient, the number of molecules or proteins that could be used for the purpose is mind-boggling.
Cardiff-based Antiverse uses a combination of computational and biological innovations to look through that universe of antibodies efficiently. It is a techbio startup specialising in antibody design against challenging targets, including G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ion channels.
Secures £3.5M investment
In a recent investment, the Welsh startup raised £3.5 million in seed funding led by i&i Biotech Fund I (i&i Bio) and Kadmos Capital, with additional investment from existing investors InnoSpark Ventures, UKI2S (managed by Future Planet Capital), Tensor Ventures, and AngelHub. This brings the total equity financing raised by the company to £7.2 million.
Plans to open new facilities
The funding will be used to expand the company’s laboratory and machine learning teams, bolstering the development of its internal assets against GPCRs and ion channels towards the clinic, as well as facilitating ongoing collaborations with pharma and biotech companies.
It will also be used to improve the predictive accuracy of the design platform, focusing on curating training data. Lastly, Antiverse has opened new facilities in Boston, MA, and Prague, Czech Republic, demonstrating its expansion.
Jaromir Zahradka, CEO at i&i Bio, commented: “Antiverse has made significant progress in the field of antibody design. Antiverse’s mission to make GPCRs druggable focuses on a key issue and we are pleased to be supporting them.”
John Gebeily, Operating Partner at Kadmos Capital, added: “Antiverse’s AI-driven antibody design platform demonstrates significant potential in advancing the development of novel antibody therapeutics, particularly for complex drug targets. We’re excited to support Murat and the team in their effort to significantly accelerate the development of life-saving treatments, and have a transformative impact on the pharmaceutical industry.”
GenAI-driven antibody designing
Founded by Murat Tunaboylu and Ben Holland, Antiverse develops the next-generation of computational antibody design technology to enable design for challenging drug targets, including G-protein coupled receptors and ion channels.
Antiverse uses a machine-learning-centred approach to design antibodies for challenging targets, helping to bring needed therapies to patients. These libraries are designed by using structural and sequence data to generate a library with high confidence against the target. The platform accelerates the antibody discovery process to 6 months.
With a main focus on establishing long-term partnerships, Antiverse has collaborated with two top 20 global pharmaceutical companies.
Murat Tunaboylu, Co-Founder and CEO of Antiverse said: “A third of all FDA-approved drugs target GPCRs, yet, despite decades of research and billions of funding, only a few GPCR-targeting antibodies exist. Thanks to the support of our investors, we are one step closer to making GPCRs and other challenging targets druggable, bringing needed therapies to patients across the globe.”
AI impact on biotech and drug discovery in the UK
In the UK, biotech startups are at the forefront of leveraging GenAI to accelerate drug discovery and development. LabGenius (London) utilises AI to design and optimise protein therapeutics, particularly in the field of immuno-oncology. As per Dealroom data, they have raised significant funding, securing total $76.4 million so far and with backers like Atomico, Horizons Ventures, Octopus Ventures and more in its kitty.
Another important name is Exscientia, based in Oxford, which uses GenAI to design novel molecules and optimise drug discovery, it has got backing from investors like SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and has secured a total of $675 million funding so far. Their work focuses on oncology and immunology, combining AI with human expertise to advance treatments.
Similarly, BenevolentAI (London) applies machine learning and GenAI to identify drug candidates and repurpose existing ones. With over $454 million raised, including a notable $115 million Series C round, they are a key player in the biotech AI space. These startups highlight the transformative role of AI in reshaping biotechnology and drug discovery in the UK.
The post Welsh biotech Antiverse gulps €4.2M for its GenAI antibody designing platform appeared first on Tech Funding News.