Attracting investors with AI, synthetic biology and high-throughput screening

Basel-based startup Myria Biosciences advances drug discovery using synthetic biology and AI. Its Genetically Engineered Modular Molecular Scaffolds (GEMMS) platform combines synthetic biology, AI and high-throughput screening at unprecedented speed (millions of molecules in a week) to engineer complex drugs to tackle previously undruggable targets. The team is developing an entire drug portfolio to address significant unmet medical needs. 

"We are unlocking nature's molecular toolbox through synthetic intelligence," explained Myria CEO Dr. Steven Schmitt. "With our GEMMS platform, we can genetically engineer cells to produce novel natural product-inspired compounds beyond the limitations of evolutionary biology. This allows us to systematically generate and optimize molecular therapeutic candidates for highly challenging disease targets."

Myria’s founder team is headed by CEO Steven Schmitt, CSO Kenan Bozhüyük, and COO Irene Wüthrich. With headquarters in Basel, the company has additional locations in the UK and Germany.

The ETH spinoff announced the closing of its pre-seed round, which exceeded its initial, undisclosed target size. The funding round was led by Creator Fund, a UK venture capital firm with a focus on deep technology startups from Europe’s leading universities. Capital Blue Partners, Rockmount Seed Investments, and Swiss and German investors also participated. The new funding will enable Myria to expand its scientific team, kick-start its internal drug candidate pipeline, and forge additional partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies. 

“With intellectual property in AI and several international biotech patents the brilliant Myria team will massively accelerate drug discovery. We are confident they will achieve major break-throughs by accessing new chemical space and transforming how therapeutics are engineered,” comments Jamie Macfarlane, CEO at Creator Fund.

(Press release / SR)