- CardiaTec applies artificial intelligence (AI) to large-scale multiomics data to develop the next generation of cardiovascular disease targets.
- The pre-seed investment was led by Laidlaw Scholars Ventures (LSV) and APEX Ventures with participation from Crista Galli Ventures, o2h ventures and Cambridge Enterprise.
[Cambridge, UK, 06 July 2022] – CardiaTecAI drug targeting company specializing in cardiovascular disease secures £1.4m pre-seed investment led by They putlaw Scholars Ventures and APEX Ventures.
Since the 1980s, cardiovascular diseases have remained the leading cause of death in the world. Yet despite the rise in deaths, cardiovascular investment and therapeutic innovation pales in comparison to areas such as oncology and neurodegenerative diseases. New technologies must emerge to close the gap.
CardiaTec is developing a target discovery platform that uses artificial intelligence to make sense of large-scale multiomic cardiovascular data. Unlike conventional single omic analysis, CardiaTec’s proprietary platform uncovers relationships spanning all levels of biology, from gene variation, methylation and expression to their association with proteomic and metabolomic functions, to better understand disease development.
The company was founded by Rafael Peralta (CEO), Thelma Zablocki (COO) and Dr. Namshik Khan (CTO). Rafael and Thelma are graduates of the University of Cambridge, majoring in Bioscience Enterprise. Dr. Namshik Khan is a world-leading scientist in the field of artificial intelligence for target and drug discovery, and he holds positions at the University of Cambridge as Head of Artificial Intelligence at the Milner Institute for Therapeutics and Associate Faculty at the Cambridge Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.
Dr. Namshik Khan commented, “Recent advances in artificial intelligence are creating new ways to interpret multiomic data. I am very excited to lead CardiaTec’s technology strategy to create a new paradigm for understanding the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease.”
Rafael Peralta commented: “Cardiovascular research has been driven by some very positive recent developments, including the acquisition of MyoKardia and The Medicine Company. We strongly believe that after several decades of stagnant investment and innovation, cardiovascular diseases are re-emerging with renewed interest, driven not only by the increasing demands to meet unmet needs, as they are still the leading cause of death in the world, but also by the application artificial intelligence to derive new and meaningful insights to meet patient needs. CardiaTec is therefore incredibly well positioned to help drive innovation in this space, which is now backed by a large syndicate of investors.”
This raise marks the first investment from Laidlaw Scholars Ventures (LSV), a new venture capital fund formed by The Laidlaw Foundation invest in ventures led by Laidlaw Scholars. LSV and APEX Ventures are jointly leading the £1.4m round with participation from Crista Galli Ventures, o2h ventures and Cambridge Enterprise.
Niall Santamaria, LSV’s Chief Investment Officer, said: “We are excited to support this exceptional team in their mission to improve patient outcomes using artificial intelligence forever. Despite the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, there is a significant underinvestment, so we believe these funds will give CardiaTec the opportunity to find treatments that make a real difference to patients.”
It ends.
About CardiaTec
CardiaTec was founded by ambitious individuals from the University of Cambridge who sought to change the landscape of targeted drug discovery for cardiovascular disease and reduce its public health burden. CardiaTec applies artificial intelligence to analyze large-scale multiomic data to generate the next generation of cardiovascular disease targets. CardiaTec’s ultimate goal is to use a systems biology approach to accelerate the drug discovery process, reduce cost and bring new compounds to market that will help save patients’ lives.
About Laidlaw Scholars Ventures
Laidlaw Scholars Ventures (LSV) is a not-for-profit startup investment company founded and managed by Laidlaw Scholars. Backed by a $50 million fund, LSV accelerates Good businesses by funding growth, providing support services, providing extensive training and development, and engaging a network of expert consultants and mentors. All profits from LSV will be returned to the Laidlaw Foundation to invest in its educational programs aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty, reducing inequality and developing a new generation of ethical leaders.
About APEX Ventures
APEX Ventures is a European venture capital firm that invests in deep technology startups with a focus on unique protectable intellectual property and above-average market potential. APEX funds have completed numerous investments in Europe and the US, including in the areas of AI for medical applications, quantum and laser technology, autonomous mobility, computer vision, and digital forensics. APEX Ventures closely supports founding teams in their go-to-market approaches to help accelerate international growth. To identify talented teams and support their ideas at an early stage, APEX Ventures works closely with academic institutions, entrepreneurial programs and other international venture partners.
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