Basecamp Research Closes $140M to Advance AI Therapeutics
Basecamp Research raised $140M Series C led by S32 to train biological foundation models and advance AI-designed therapeutics to clinical development.
The big picture: Basecamp Research has closed $140 million in an oversubscribed Series C financing to train a new generation of its EDEN biological foundation models and advance a pipeline of AI-designed therapeutics toward clinical development.
Why it matters:
- Reprogramming cells: Basecamp aims to create medicines capable of reprogramming cells directly inside the body, addressing diseases with limited treatment options through in vivo cell therapy.
- AI-driven discovery: The company leverages artificial intelligence models to generate therapeutic candidates from its proprietary Trillion Gene Atlas, the world’s largest biological AI training dataset.
- Transforming medicine: This approach promises to change what’s possible for patients by designing sophisticated and customizable cell therapies, simplifying administration for conditions like cancer and autoimmune diseases.
How it works:
- EDEN models: Basecamp trains its EDEN biological foundation models to identify patterns across a broad range of biological systems, applying these insights to therapeutic design.
- DNA integration: The company combines its AI capabilities with technology designed to write long and complex DNA sequences into cells, using large serine recombinases for precise genetic material integration.
- Broad application: EDEN models are developed to design cell and gene therapies, enzymes, and peptides, with demonstrated ability to generate therapeutic candidates from disease information.
The catch: The field of generative AI for drug discovery and biotechnology is experiencing intensifying competition. Translating AI-generated designs into validated therapies requires substantial laboratory, preclinical, and clinical investment, posing a significant hurdle beyond initial model development.
Key Facts
- Company: Basecamp Research
- Amount: $140M
- Round: Series C
- Investors: S32 (lead), Anthology Fund, Catalio Capital Management, European Tech Collective, Firebrand River Capital, Inception Fund, King Philanthropies, NATO Innovation Fund, NVIDIA, PostScriptum, Redalpine, The Rockefeller Foundation, Singular, Sovereign AI, True Ventures, André Hoffmann
- Founder: Glen Gowers
- Sector: AI-Designed Therapeutics
- Headquarters: London, UK