AQEMIA hits $100 million funding milestone
"AQEMIA embodies the future of drug discovery, combining the power of AI with quantum mechanics"
AQEMIA, a pioneering techbio that teaches atomic scale physics to a generative AI to invent innovative medicines, announces two major milestones: $100 million in cumulative funding and the beginning of a global expansion starting with London (United Kingdom).
Maximilien Levesque, CEO and Cofounder of AQEMIA (left) and Emmanuelle Martiano Rolland, COO and Cofounder of AQEMIA
Business Wire
The new $38 million funding round, led by new investor Cathay Innovation, brings total funds raised since inception to over $100 million. This round, coming less than a year after the previous one, follows the successful validation of AQEMIA’s drug discovery platform through outstanding results in internal preclinical programs and pharmaceutical partnerships, particularly in oncology. The funding will support AQEMIA’s development goals, including preparations for clinical trials.
“This is a transformative moment for AQEMIA,” said Maximilien Levesque, PhD, CEO and co-founder of AQEMIA. “Less than a year after our last round, this successful fundraising and the opening of our new London office mark significant strides toward our ambition to accelerate the discovery of new medicines on a global scale. Partnering with Cathay Innovation brings international expertise, particularly in the US and Asia, reinforcing our vision and mission. With this momentum, we are poised to advance to clinical trials, bringing us closer to delivering life-changing treatments to patients in need.”
This new round is led by Cathay Innovation, followed by historical investors Wendel, Bpifrance Large Venture, Eurazeo, and Elaia.
“We have long been committed to supporting visionary entrepreneurs who harness the transformative potential of AI to reshape the healthcare industry,” supports Jacky Abitbol, partner at Cathay Innovation. “AQEMIA embodies the future of drug discovery, combining the power of AI with quantum mechanics. Fueled by Maximilien and Emmanuelle, the company’s vision is one that is fully aligned with Cathay Innovation’s DNA, as it aims to profoundly transform the molecule research and pharmaceutical industry as a whole. Our partnership goes beyond capital support; we are putting to good use our experience in scaling AI-driven companies all over the world, particularly across US and Asia, as AQEMIA accelerates its path to the clinic and expands its global impact.”
In addition to reaching the $100 million funding milestone, AQEMIA announces the opening of its London office, scheduled for January 2025 in the King’s Cross area. This expansion strengthens AQEMIA’s presence in the UK’s dynamic tech and biotech sectors. The new location will provide access to the UK’s rich talent pool, especially in life sciences and techbio, as the company continues its global recruitment efforts across all levels.
AQEMIA will also use the proceeds to continue to advance its technology platform—teaching quantum-inspired, atomic-scale physics to generative AI—to transform drug discovery, designing innovative and safe small-molecule drugs with high efficiency. By teaching theoretical physics to the generative AI, AQEMIA does not need experimental data to train on, unlocking truly innovative molecular designs, further away from existing molecules—a key challenge for genAI today. The drug discovery platform is now proven to work, as demonstrated by AQEMIA’s recent preclinical successes: (i) in their most advanced oncology programs with in vivo results, which continue to progress toward clinical trials, and (ii) through AQEMIA’s $140 million collaboration with Sanofi, announced in December 2023, which already underscored the platform's potential and strong industry recognition.
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