Institute spin-out, Enhanc3D Genomics, raises £10 million in Series A financing

Key points:

• Institute spin-out, Enhanc3D Genomics, has raised £10 million in Series A financing to advance its GenLink3D^TM proprietary technology platform.
• The financing was led by BGF and Parkwalk Advisors along with support from existing private investors and Bioqube Ventures.
• Enhanc3D Genomics’ approach provides biological context to non-coding genetic variations thereby identifying actionable disease biomarkers and treatment targets.

Enhanc3D Genomics, a spin out from Institute research into genome regulation and spatial organisation, has raised £10 million in Series A financing led by BGF and Parkwalk Advisors, with support from existing private investors and Bioqube Ventures. The funding will accelerate the company’s progress in creating detailed datasets that inform patient diagnosis and disease treatment across multiple immune-related diseases and cancer, and that also have relevance to understanding the ageing process.

Enhanc3D’s vision is to unlock the full potential of the human genome by mapping the physical interactions that occur across the genome and regulate gene expression. This high-resolution spatial mapping enables the vast array of non-coding genetic variations to be deciphered into actionable disease biomarkers and treatment targets. The company’s proprietary technology platform, GenLink3D^TM, integrates molecular biology technologies with machine learning to map the 3D structure of the genome at high resolution. The funding investment will be used to apply the platform to deeply decode the genome’s 3D connections into hundreds of new candidate targets for diagnostic and therapeutic asset development.

The company was spun out from the Institute in 2020, building on pioneering research in Professor Peter Fraser’s laboratory and the development of the Promotor Capture Hi-C technique. Enhanc3D Genomics co-founder, Dr Stefan Schoenfelder, remains a group leader in the Epigenetics research programme at the Institute. While in development at the Institute, the technology was applied to identify new gene targets linked to specific diseases, including autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and Crohn’s disease. In 2020 the company participated in the Start Codon business acceleration programme and in 2021 they raised additional funding worth £1.5 million backed by Bioqube Ventures, StartCodon and two private investors. Earlier this year, Enhanc3D Genomics was awarded funding from the Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s Immunology Innovations QuickFire Challenge.

The announced funding investment also allows the Enhanc3D Genomics team to grow. Dr Chris Torrance, founder and Chairman of Phoremost, has been appointed to Enhanc3D’s Board as Non-Executive Chair and the company will relocate to larger facilities in Cambridge’s St John’s Innovation Centre, providing the infrastructure to support the next phase of the company’s growth.

Debora Lucarelli, CEO of Enhanc3D Genomics said: “These are incredibly exciting times for the genomics community and we are proud to pioneer the advent of a new era for patient-centric medicine. We are delighted to have the support of BGF, Parkwalk and our existing investors Bioqube and Jonathan Milner, which provides validation of our technology platform, GenLink3D^TM. Dr Chris Torrance’s experience and strategic input will be invaluable as we accelerate development of the Company and our platform.”

Dr Simon Cook, Babraham Institute Director, said: “This is great news for Enhanc3D Genomics and I’d like to pass on my congratulations to the whole team. The innovation and power of Enhanc3D’s approach promises to be transformational in making sense of this genomic black hole with widescale benefits for health and wellbeing.”

See the announcement on the Enhanc3D Genomics website for futher details: Enhanc3D Genomics raises £10 million in Series A financing to advance GenLink3D proprietary technology platform.

Notes to Editors

Press contact

For the Babraham Institute:

Dr Louisa Wood, Head of Communications, louisa.wood@babraham.ac.uk    

For Enhanc3D Genomics:

Optimum Strategic Communications

Mary Clark, Vici Rabbetts, Eleanor Cooper

Tel: +44 (0) 208 078 4357

Email: enhanc3d@optimumcomms.com

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About the Babraham Institute

The Babraham Institute undertakes world-class life sciences research to generate new knowledge of biological mechanisms underpinning ageing, development and the maintenance of health. Our research focuses on cellular signalling, gene regulation and the impact of epigenetic regulation at different stages of life. By determining how the body reacts to dietary and environmental stimuli and manages microbial and viral interactions, we aim to improve wellbeing and support healthier ageing. The Institute is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, through Institute Strategic Programme Grants and an Institute Core Capability Grant and also receives funding from other UK research councils, charitable foundations, the EU and medical charities.

About Enhanc3D Genomics

ENHANC3D GENOMICS (“Enhanc3D”) is a functional data science biotech based in Cambridge, UK. Incorporated in 2020, the company was spun out from Professor Peter Fraser’s laboratory at the Babraham Institute. The Company’s platform, GenLink3DTM, will unlock the full potential of the three-dimensional organisation of our DNA. Enhanc3D’s proprietary technology directly measures DNA interactions controlling gene regulation, allowing the exploration of the uncharted non-coding regions of the DNA, which account for about 98% of the entire genome. This unique approach has the potential to revolutionise target and biomarker discovery and make precision medicine an everyday reality for patients. Enhanc3D closed a £1.75 million seed round in 2021 backed by Bioqube Ventures, Start Codon and private investors. It recently received grant funding and one year of residency at Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS, and mentorship from experts at the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Find out more: https://enhanc3dgenomics.com/

About BBSRC

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government.

BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.

Funded by government, BBSRC invested £451 million in world-class bioscience in 2019-20. We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.