Basecamp Research Raises $140M for AI Cell Therapy Design
London-based Basecamp Research secured $140M to advance AI-designed cell therapies, aiming to simplify cancer treatment manufacturing.
Key points
- Basecamp Research raised $140 million to expand its AI models for designing in vivo cell therapies.
- The EDEN model achieved a 63.2% functional hit rate in laboratory tests for DNA-inserting proteins.
- The company is developing three CAR-T programs for blood cancers, autoimmune diseases, and solid tumors.
Basecamp Research, a London-based company, has raised $140 million in a Series C funding round. The capital will support the expansion of its artificial intelligence models for biological design.
The company plans to move its preclinical therapeutics pipeline toward clinical trials. Its primary focus is developing in vivo cell therapies, which are designed to work directly inside the human body.
AI designs genetic tools without breaks
Basecamp uses a model called EDEN to design DNA sequences and proteins. These tools insert genetic material into cells without causing double-strand breaks. This approach aims to avoid complex manufacturing steps used in traditional CAR-T therapies.
According to European Biotechnology Magazine, the technology relies on a massive dataset. The Trillion Gene Atlas project sequences biological samples from over 30 countries. This data helps the AI understand diverse biological systems.
Laboratory results show high success rates
A preprint article reported that EDEN can design proteins from short DNA sequences. The AI achieved a 63.2% functional hit rate in laboratory assays. This means roughly six out of ten designs showed activity.
The team also tested the technology in human T cells. Half of the 20 proteins tested successfully inserted a cancer-fighting construct. Additionally, 32 of 33 designed antimicrobial peptides worked against bacteria.
Pipeline targets blood and solid tumors
The company currently lists three in vivo CAR-T programs. One targets blood cancers and another targets an autoimmune condition. A third program is in discovery for solid tumors. There are also programs for phenylketonuria and diabetes.
Basecamp has not announced a date for its first clinical trial. The new funding will also support pharmaceutical partnerships. Richard Pearce, formerly of Biogen, will lead these business efforts.
