Undecimal Bio, a Cambridge-based spin-out from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, has secured €16 million ($18 million) in Seed funding to advance its artificial intelligence-driven approach to RNA therapeutics delivery.
The funding round was co-led by 4BIO Capital and IQ Capital, with participation from Verve Ventures, Harel Tech, Entree Capital, Kerna Ventures, and Saras Capital. The capital will enable the company to expand its DELiveri platform beyond liver-targeted applications, progress its renovascular disease programmes, and expand its laboratory team.
Addressing a Fundamental Challenge in RNA Therapeutics
Undecimal Bio’s focus addresses a longstanding obstacle in RNA interference therapy. According to the company’s founder, Dr. Yaniv Erlich, “The hard problem in RNAi was never the silencing, it was getting the molecule to the right cell.” This insight encapsulates the core challenge that has limited the therapeutic potential of siRNA treatments: while researchers have successfully developed ways to silence specific genes, delivering these molecules to target tissues with precision remains technically demanding.
The DELiveri platform employs artificial intelligence to identify optimal chemical conjugates capable of directing siRNA molecules to specific non-liver tissues. This represents a significant departure from earlier RNA therapeutics programmes, which predominantly focused on hepatic delivery due to technical constraints. By expanding beyond the liver, Undecimal Bio aims to unlock treatment possibilities for a broader range of diseases.
Initial Focus on Renovascular Applications
The company’s initial clinical focus is renovascular disease, a condition affecting blood vessels that supply the kidneys. This therapeutic area represents both a clinical need and a technical proving ground for the platform’s capability to deliver siRNA to vascular tissues with appropriate specificity.
The seed funding provides runway for both platform development and clinical programme advancement, with the capital supporting continued expansion of research capabilities at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, where Undecimal Bio maintains its laboratory operations.
Positioning Within the European Biotech Landscape
The investment underscores continued confidence in United Kingdom-based RNA therapeutics ventures, despite broader challenges in the biotech financing environment. The syndicate of investors represents a mix of regional and specialist life sciences funds, reflecting growing interest in precision medicine approaches within the European startup ecosystem.
Cambridge’s position as a centre for RNA research and therapeutic development continues to attract investor attention and top scientific talent. The cluster of academic institutions, established biotech companies, and emerging ventures creates an environment conducive to advancing complex molecular therapies. Undecimal Bio’s funding round adds to a growing body of evidence that investors remain committed to backing scientifically rigorous approaches to addressing fundamental delivery challenges in RNA therapeutics, even as broader market conditions for earlier-stage biotech remain selective.