Biotech firm Imperagen has secured a £5 million funding round to revolutionise enzyme engineering using advanced AI and quantum simulations. The company aims to speed up the traditionally slow and costly process of creating enzymes for uses like drug discovery, food production, and biofuels.

The startup leverages three key technologies: quantum physics-based simulations that model millions of enzyme variants on computers, custom-trained AI models, and automated robotics to generate experimental data. This closed-loop system is designed to make the development process faster, more reliable, and commercially accessible.

Enzymes are essential in many industries, particularly pharmaceuticals where they play a crucial role in drug development. Innovations like Imperagen’s could significantly speed up this process, leading to quicker drug discovery and production. Sustainability experts also see potential in using enzymes to make industrial processes more eco-friendly.

With Guy Levy-Yurista now at the helm as CEO, the company is poised for growth. He aims to build a robust AI infrastructure for biocatalysis and scale up commercial models. The fresh funding will support hiring, R&D, lab expansion, and market development over the next two years.

Ultimately, Imperagen hopes wider use of engineered enzymes will lead to cleaner, safer products that benefit both people and the planet, while offering a commercially viable solution for companies in various sectors.