AI Biotech Funding
Basecamp Research Secures $140 Million in Series C Funding to Advance AI Therapies
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Key Points
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Basecamp says EDEN, short for “environmentally-derived evolutionary network,” is trained on what it describes as the world’s largest and most diverse evolutionary dataset. The model is designed to generate long, complex DNA sequences using large serine recombinases capable of precisely delivering them into cells.
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The company said its approach could address the manufacturing cost and complexity limitations of current cell therapies, potentially making treatments “more sophisticated, more customizable and simpler to administer,” particularly for complex diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders.
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Basecamp appointed Richard Pearce as chief business officer in April to support expansion of its biopharmaceutical partnerships. Pearce previously led business development, strategy and portfolio management at Biogen.
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S32 General Partner Andy Conrad, who previously served as CEO of Google’s Verily, said combining AI, biological data and scientific insight could transform how disease is understood and medicines are discovered.
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Roche Vice Chairman André Hoffmann characterized personalized, AI-designed therapeutics as the next transformation of the biotechnology revolution that began 50 years ago, saying Basecamp had built the full platform needed to deliver that vision.
Basecamp Research, a London-based AI drug discovery company, raised $140 million in Series C funding to build new generations of its EDEN biological foundation models and push AI-designed therapies toward human testing. Pharmaceutical Technology reported the oversubscribed round was led by S32, with backing from Anthropic's Anthology Fund, NVIDIA, NATO Innovation Fund, and other major investors including Roche Vice Chairman André Hoffmann.
The company uses AI trained on evolutionary data to design DNA sequences that reprogram cells inside patients' bodies, aiming to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, and other complex illnesses. Silicon Angle noted the funding will expand Basecamp's pharma partnerships and accelerate clinical development of its AI-designed medicines.
EDEN Models Trained on Vast Evolutionary Data
Basecamp's EDEN system—short for "environmentally-derived evolutionary network"—is trained on what BM Magazine describes as the world's largest and most diverse evolutionary dataset. The AI model generates long, complex DNA sequences using large serine recombinases, proteins that act like molecular scissors to deliver genetic instructions precisely into cells.
Unlike language-based AI models, BM Magazine explained that Basecamp trains artificial intelligence directly on DNA patterns rather than text, allowing the system to discover novel genetic sequences and therapeutic designs that nature has not yet explored.
Simpler, Cheaper Cell Therapies for Complex Diseases
Current cell therapies are expensive and difficult to manufacture, limiting their use to wealthy patients. Basecamp's approach could change that. The company said its AI-designed in vivo therapies—treatments that work inside the patient's body—could be "more sophisticated, more customizable and simpler to administer" than existing options, particularly for cancer and autoimmune disorders.
By using AI to design cell reprogramming strategies, Basecamp aims to reduce manufacturing complexity and cost while expanding access to advanced biologics. Venture Burn noted the company has shown strong preclinical results across multiple disease areas, suggesting the approach works in early testing stages.
Pharma Veterans and Tech Titans Back the Vision
S32 General Partner Andy Conrad, formerly CEO of Google's Verily, joins Basecamp's board. Conrad said combining AI, biological data, and scientific insight could transform disease understanding and medicine discovery. The SaaS News reported that Roche Vice Chairman André Hoffmann also backed the round, calling AI-designed therapeutics the next revolution in biotechnology.
Basecamp appointed Richard Pearce as chief business officer in April to drive pharma partnerships. Pearce previously led business development and portfolio management at Biogen, one of the world's largest biotech firms. His hire signals Basecamp's push to move its AI therapies from the lab into real drug pipelines.
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