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Exogene is an Oxford, UK-based biotechnology startup that utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to discover and design T-cell receptor therapies for non-small cell lung cancer and other solid tumors. The company combines computational modeling with experimental biology to screen billions of receptor-target interactions from patient tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, identifying high-affinity receptors that traditional screening methods miss. To support its ongoing research and development efforts, the enterprise secured $2 million in venture capital funding to build out its proprietary wet-lab dataset. The organization recently expanded its physical footprint by moving into a 797-square-foot laboratory facility after graduating from its previous early-stage incubator space. The firm maintains a strategic research collaboration with Immunocore and holds affiliations with the University of Oxford and the accelerator program Entrepreneur First. Exogene was founded in 2019 by Federico Paoletti and Andrea Mambrini.
Exogene has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Exogene has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Exogene has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in April 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2022 | $2M Seed | — | ADA Ventures, Jlabs, Jude Gomila Rolling Fund, Polychain Capital, R42 Group, Balaji Srinivasan, Charlie Cheever, Charlie Songhurst | Announced |
# High-Level Overview
Exogene is a techbio startup that combines artificial intelligence with wet-lab screening to accelerate the discovery of T-cell-receptor (TCR)-based therapies for solid tumors.[1][4] The company addresses a critical bottleneck in cancer immunotherapy: identifying safe, high-affinity TCRs against cancer targets is traditionally slow and expensive using conventional methods.[4]
The company serves oncology patients with otherwise untreatable solid tumors by developing trispecific T cell engagers (TriTCEs)—novel therapeutic molecules that leverage the body's natural immune response.[3] Exogene's core innovation is its generative AI platform that screens billions of TCR-target interactions in seconds, dramatically accelerating the discovery process that would take years using traditional approaches.[2] This positions Exogene at the intersection of two transformative trends: AI-driven drug discovery and next-generation cell therapies.
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Exogene exemplifies the convergence of AI and biotechnology—a trend reshaping drug discovery timelines and economics. Traditional cell therapy development has been constrained by autologous (patient-specific) manufacturing and limited scalability, making treatments expensive and slow to develop.[2] By applying generative AI to TCR discovery, Exogene addresses a fundamental bottleneck that has hindered solid tumor immunotherapy for years.
The timing is critical: advances in machine learning, declining sequencing costs, and growing clinical validation of TCR-based approaches have created a window where AI-first biotech companies can leapfrog traditional discovery methods. Exogene's work demonstrates how techbio startups can compress development cycles and reduce costs—factors that could democratize access to advanced cancer therapies and influence how the broader biotech industry approaches target discovery.
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
Exogene is positioned to become a key player in next-generation cancer immunotherapy by solving a problem that has limited the field for over a decade. As the company scales its wet-lab capabilities and validates its AI-discovered TCRs in clinical settings, it could establish a platform that other developers license or partner with—creating multiple revenue streams beyond its own pipeline.
The company's trajectory will likely depend on clinical validation of its TriTCEs and the ability to manufacture at scale. If successful, Exogene could influence how the entire cell therapy industry approaches target discovery, shifting from labor-intensive screening to AI-accelerated platforms. The broader biotech ecosystem is watching whether AI-first approaches can genuinely compress timelines and reduce costs—and Exogene's execution will be a bellwether for that transformation.
Exogene has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Exogene's investors include Ada Ventures, Jlabs, Jude Gomila Rolling Fund, Polychain Capital, R42 Group, Balaji Srinivasan, Charlie Cheever, Charlie Songhurst.
