Seed25 January 2021

Sano Genetics raises £2.5m in seed funding led by Episode1 to expand clinical trial recruitment technology

The seed round was led by Episode1 with backing from Seedcamp, Cambridge Enterprise, and January Ventures to fund DNA testing kits and platform development.

£2.5MSeed

Sano Genetics builds software designed to streamline precision medicine clinical trials by combining patient recruitment, genetic testing and ongoing engagement into a single platform. The company works with major pharmaceutical firms and research institutions to accelerate medical breakthroughs.

Sano Genetics has secured £2.5m in seed financing led by Episode1, with participation from Seedcamp, Cambridge Enterprise, January Ventures, and various angel investors. The fresh capital will be deployed to supply free at-home DNA testing kits for 3,000 individuals suffering from Long Covid, while simultaneously advancing the development of its privacy-focused technology platform and expanding the team.

The Cambridge-based business previously raised £500k in a 2018 pre-seed round and currently facilitates research into conditions such as multiple sclerosis, ankylosing spondylitis, and ulcerative colitis. In addition to the equity investment, the firm has secured a grant from Innovate UK and partnered with Genomics England to support national-scale precision medicine initiatives.

From the founder

"We urgently need more people contributing to medical science, but the gap between those wanting to take part and actually knowing how to is huge. The scientific community has long relied on time-starved doctors signposting patients to clinical trials which just isn’t an effective way to get decent levels of participation. The pandemic has added further challenges, as many patients with rare and chronic diseases are unable to safely leave home."

Charlotte Guzzo

COO at Sano Genetics