BioTech firm Eagle Genomics has closed $9m (£6.97m) in new scale-up funding which it hopes to use in tackling sustainable agriculture, wellness, and treatment of non-communicable diseases.
The Cambridge firm will use the investment to further develop the capabilities of its AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform and to drive further commercial expansion across Europe and the US.
Environmental Technologies Fund (ETF) and a consortium of investors from across science, AI and analytics fields have provided this latest investment.
The consortium, led by Granpool Innovative Investments, includes bpd partners, Anatom Holding and Albert-László Barabási among others.
Previously Eagle Genomics’ investors have backed Finch Therapeutics, Silicon Valley microbiome innovation company Pendulum Life, and networked/personalised medicine leader Scipher Medicine.
The firm hopes to capitalise on growing scientific interest in the role of microbes in maintaining health and wellbeing and promoting ecological renewal of the natural environment.
The microbiome, the ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses present in living organisms, is directly linked with health, the firm claims.
Its knowledge discovery platform, e[datascientist] harnesses AI to analyse complex genomic and microbiomic data at scale.
Unilever has used the platform to distil credible scientific evidence to support claims about its Zendium toothpaste, which uses natural enzymes to boost the good bacteria in the mouth – the first substantiated microbiome-based claim recorded in a product launch.
“We are on course to establish Eagle Genomics as a market leader at this transformative time and anchor our position as the preeminent platform vendor enabling the digital reinvention of life sciences R&D,” Anthony Finbow, CEO at Eagle Genomics, commented.
“The microbiome is a megatrend that is evolving very quickly, and we are the forefront of associated discovery with our unique solution to address the enterprise data challenge. We have our sights set too on other complex data challenges including CRISPR and quantum biological challenges, such as understanding the immune response more fully.
“The potential is phenomenal, and we are immensely grateful to our supporters for sharing our vision and helping us to scale at this pivotal time.”