Shift Bioscience raises $16 M to advance cell simulation AI platform

Average life expectancy has increased over the last century, which has led to a rise in the number of people suffering from age-related illnesses, increasing the strain on healthcare systems. Cellular reprogramming with Yamanaka factors represents a promising technology that can rejuvenate cells, providing the opportunity to develop new treatments that target multiple diseases of aging, from hearing loss to cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis. However, there is a pressing need to identify gene-factors that can be used to reprogram cells with proven safety.

Shift Bioscience is building a cell simulation platform that combines generative AI with its highly accurate, high-throughput biological aging clock, to predict which sets of genes are most likely to safely rejuvenate specific cells and then test, improve and validate these predictions. Preliminary results from the platform were well received at the 2024 Gordon Research Conference on Systems Aging. The Company will use the Seed funding to accelerate the development of its AI cell simulation platform, enabling the identification of novel genes for safe rejuvenation of cells indicated in age-related illnesses. The funding will also support the development of an IP portfolio for the novel rejuvenation genes identified by Shift Bioscience. The new investment brings the total raised by the company to $18 M (£14 M).

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Shift Bioscience