Bristol-based biotech EnsiliTech, which stabilizes vaccines and biologics without refrigeration, has raised £4.5 million in an oversubscribed seed round led by Eos Advisory to enhance global storage and transport of life-saving medicines.
- Established in 2022 by Dr. Asel Sartbaeva, Dr. Stephen Wells, Dr. Aswin Doekhie, and Dr. Matt Slade, EnsiliTech develops a proprietary technology called Ensilication to stabilize vaccines, antibodies, enzymes, and other biologics without refrigeration.
- The technology works by applying a silica-based nanoshell around individual biomolecules, forming a protective coating that prevents degradation caused by temperature fluctuations and environmental factors.
- Once encased, the biological material can be stored and transported at temperatures ranging from –80 °C to +50 °C, eliminating the need for cold-chain infrastructure.
- Ensilication preserves the integrity and functionality of a wide range of biomolecules, extends shelf-life, reduces spoilage, and allows for potential alternative administration routes, including oral or subcutaneous delivery.
- The platform is designed for both existing and new biopharmaceutical products and aims to increase global accessibility to medicines while lowering supply-chain costs and environmental impact.
Details of the deal
- The seed round was led by Eos Advisory and included participation from London-based Calculus Capital, UK’s Empirical Ventures, Fink Family Office, QantX, Angel Investors Bristol (AIB), HERmesa, Penn Park Capital, chANGELS, and various individual angel investors.
“EnsiliTech has the technology to transform how vaccines and other therapeutics are transported and stored. Reducing wastage, reducing cost and vastly improving health outcomes across the globe, this kind of science and this scale of potential sits at the core of our investment thesis at Eos," Director of Portfolio at Eos, Anne Muir, commented.
- EnsiliTech will utilize the fresh funding to accelerate the adoption of proof-of-concept for existing and new biopharmaceuticals, expand its team with new hires, enhance its infrastructure, and generate key validation data necessary to integrate its Ensilication technology into pharmaceutical manufacturing workflows.
“Our mission is to ensure that life-saving medicines and vaccines reach everyone, everywhere, regardless of infrastructure or geography. This investment is a major step forward for the team, and we’re thrilled to have the backing of partners who share our vision for a more equitable and sustainable future in global healthcare," claims Dr. Asel Sartbaeva, co-founder and CEO of EnsiliTech.
