EnsiliTech raise £1.2M to make vaccines free from refrigeration
Dr Asel Sartbaeva, CEO of EnsiliTech - Photo by Laurie Lapworth, University of Bath
Ensilicated Technologies Ltd, a Spin Up Science Ventures portfolio company developing a revolutionary refrigeration-free approach to the transport of vaccines and other biological materials, announced today that it has raised £1.2 million in funding, led by Science Angel Syndicate.
Biologicals, including vaccines and antibodies, are sensitive to external conditions, such as temperature and moisture, requiring storage and transportation to maintained at low temperatures (up to -80 °C). This extensive network of refrigeration, known as the cold chain, is prone to failures resulting in spoilage and wastage, where the World Health Organisation estimates up to 50% of vaccines are wasted globally.
EnsiliTech aims to combat this problem by encasing sensitive biologicals in protective silica shells, preventing degradation due to temperature fluctuations and moisture.
EnsiliTech team from left to right: Dr Matt Slade, Dr Aswin Doekhie, Dr Asel Sartbaeva and Dr Stephen Wells
Their simple, scalable process can be applied to a vast range of biologicals including vaccines, diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies, reducing wastage and prolonging shelf-life. Their ground-breaking technology has significant implications for the biopharmaceutical supply chain and their capacity to deliver to communities lacking cold chain infrastructure.
EnsiliTech close their £1.2m pre-seed investment round led by Science Angel Syndicate and including QantX, the Fink Family Office, Elbow Beach Capital and angel investors. This funding will be used to further develop and bring to market EnsiliTech's innovative solution, which utilizes a proprietary process to preserve the integrity and effectiveness of vaccines and other biological materials without the need for costly and energy-intensive refrigeration.
The team is led by Dr Asel Sartbaeva, award-winning female scientist and co-inventor of the ensilication technology. This investment, comprised of private investment and a £300k InnovateUK grant, will be used to demonstrate proof-of-concept for selected animal vaccines and diagnostics antibodies, followed by preclinical validation studies. This work will form the basis of joint development activity with key commercial partners, leading to potential licensing opportunities in future.
Dr Asel Sartbaeva, CEO of EnsiliTech said: “I am delighted that EnsiliTech found such knowledgeable investors, who are committed to helping us achieve our mission - making life-saving vaccines and other medicines independent of fridges, and as such, more available all around the globe. Working together with Spin Up Science has helped us in accelerating the creation of EnsiliTech, defining our business model, and now raising investment to propel our R&D work.”
Dr Ben Miles, CEO of Spin Up Science said: “We are extremely excited to be supporting EnsiliTech and their innovative solution for revolutionizing the transport of vaccines and other biological materials. This technology has the potential to greatly improve global healthcare and access to life-saving treatments, particularly in developing countries, while also reducing the carbon footprint of the supply chain. We are proud to be a part of this game-changing company and its mission to make a positive impact on global health.”
EnsiliTech is a Spin Up Science Ventures portfolio company, where the SUSV team have worked closely with Dr Sartbaeva and the team, to provide coaching and support through their investment raise and venture launch, continuing to support them through this next phase of company development. SUSV is a venture studio designed to support academic teams to spinout technologies with the potential to improve the health and security of people and the planet. SUSV works alongside founders from initial idea to first investment, to develop entrepreneurial skills, discover market need, and launch spinout ventures.