UK – Antiverse, a UK-based techbio company, has closed a €4.2 million (US $4.6 million) seed funding round, bringing its total equity financing to €8.6 million (US $9.3 million).
The investment aims to advance its innovative platform that uses generative AI to design antibodies for challenging drug targets, such as G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ion channels, which are notoriously difficult to address.
The funding round was led by i&i Biotech Fund I (i&i Bio) and Kadmos Capital, with contributions from InnoSpark Ventures, UKI2S (managed by Future Planet Capital), Tensor Ventures, and AngelHub.
The investment will be used to expand Antiverse’s machine learning and laboratory teams and drive internal projects toward clinical trials.
Accelerating drug discovery with AI
Antiverse’s platform leverages machine learning to accelerate antibody discovery, reducing the time needed to identify viable antibodies to just six months.
By using ‘target-specific libraries’ based on structural and sequence data, the company can generate highly accurate predictions, enabling faster and more precise antibody design.
This unique approach allows Antiverse to address complex targets like GPCRs, which are involved in a significant portion of FDA-approved drugs.
However, only a few GPCR-targeting antibodies currently exist, making this technology a breakthrough in drug discovery.
Murat Tunaboylu, Co-Founder and CEO of Antiverse, highlighted the importance of the platform, saying, “A third of all FDA-approved drugs target GPCRs, yet only a few GPCR-targeting antibodies exist.
“This investment brings us closer to making these targets druggable and delivering needed therapies to patients globally.”
Expansion and strategic collaborations
In addition to advancing its internal assets, the new funding will support Antiverse’s ongoing collaborations with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
The company has already partnered with two top 20 global pharmaceutical firms to further develop antibody therapeutics for complex drug targets.
As part of its expansion, Antiverse has opened new facilities in Boston, MA, and Prague, Czech Republic, to enhance its capacity for research and development.
These facilities will also support its growing pipeline of projects in antibody design and machine learning.
Investor confidence in AI-driven biotech
Investors are excited about the potential impact of Antiverse’s AI-driven approach. “Antiverse is tackling a key issue in antibody design, and we are pleased to support their efforts,” said Jaromir Zahradka, CEO of i&i Bio.
John Gebeily, Operating Partner at Kadmos Capital, added, “Their platform shows great promise in advancing the development of novel therapeutics for complex drug targets. We are thrilled to help accelerate the development of life-saving treatments.”
AI in UK Biotech: A Growing Trend
In the UK, biotech startups are at the forefront of using generative AI (GenAI) to speed up drug discovery and development.
LabGenius, based in London, applies AI to design and optimize protein therapeutics, particularly in immuno-oncology. The company has raised US $76.4 million from investors like Atomico and Horizons Ventures.
Another key player, Exscientia from Oxford, leverages GenAI to design new molecules and improve drug discovery.
Supported by major investors such as SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, it has secured US $675 million in funding, focusing on oncology and immunology.
Similarly, BenevolentAI in London uses machine learning and GenAI to identify and repurpose drug candidates.
Having raised over US $454 million, including US $115 million in a Series C round, BenevolentAI is a major force in AI-driven biotech innovation.
