Latent Labs Launches Publicly with $50 Million in Funding for Artificial Intelligence-Powered Programmable Biology
As part of the funding, Latent Labs aims to leverage generative artificial intelligence to computationally create novel therapeutic molecules, such as antibodies and enzymes, to improve molecular features.
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Latent Labs has emerged from stealth with $50 million in total funding, seeking to advance artificial intelligence (AI)-powered programmable biology for drug discovery and protein design. Series A funding round was co-led by Radical Ventures and Sofinnova Partners, with participation from Jeff Dean, chief scientist; Google; Aidan Gomez, founder; Cohere; and Mati Staniszewski, founder, ElevenLabs. Moving forward, Latent Labs seeks to commercialize its platform by partnering with biotech and pharmaceutical firms to refine the discovery process and enhance treatment precision.1
“Every biotechnology or pharmaceutical company wants to be at the forefront of technology to find the best therapeutic molecules, yet not all are in a position to develop the most advanced AI models for the job. That's where Latent Labs comes in. We push the frontiers of generative biology, giving our partners instant access to tools that accelerate their drug design programs,” said Simon Kohl, founder, CEO, Latent Labs, in a press release.
In an interview with Forbes, Kohl said that Latent Labs could harness the potential of AI to speed up the drug development process and investigate previously unexplored new spaces. Latent Labs will follow-up on Kohl’s previous work with Google’s DeepMind AlphaFold2 project, which aimed to predict the structure of proteins, which in turn will support scientists in comprehending biological processes, developing new treatments, and creating new proteins.
Kohl added that he intends to make Latent Labs’ technology available to any company that wishes to implement it, possibly in exchange for commissions based on discovery and development goals. Based on demand, Kohl explained that the company is at a point where it can begin to commercialize its technology for the market, with preliminary discussions with potential customers currently in progress.
"Latent Labs transforms biology from an observational science into an engineering craft, granting us precise control over life’s building blocks. In practical terms, it means crafting bespoke molecules that tackle challenges once thought insurmountable. It’s a revolution in our ability to harness nature’s building blocks to develop breakthrough treatments and transform our lives. With pharmaceutical companies overwhelmingly demanding agile, next-generation tools to accelerate discovery and improve patient outcomes, Latent Labs is at the forefront of this rapidly growing market need,” said Edward Kliphuis, partner, Sofinnova Partners, in the press release.
In his conversation with Forbes, Kohl stressed that first, the company must build foundational models for protein design, with the goal of moving drug design into the computational realm, implementing AI to make the drug work, eliminating the need for a wet lab, and speeding up market availability as a result.
Financers expressed a great deal of enthusiasm towards Latent Labs’ potential in transforming drug development.2
“We’ve partnered with Latent Labs because we’re confident that this team will realize the therapeutic and commercial potential of de novo protein design. Such a capability has never before been possible, one which can benefit humanity in such a profound way. Accelerating the development of more effective cures for disease, Latent is at the vanguard of innovation in computational biology, and we are excited to join them on this journey,” said Aaron Rosenberg, partner, Radical Ventures, in the press release.
The company will operate in London and San Francisco, and will include a number of professionals from DeepMind, Microsoft, Google, Stability AI, Exscientia, Mammoth Bio, Altos Labs, and Zymergen.1
References
1. Latent Labs Secures $50M in Funding to Realize the Potential of AI-Powered, Programmable Biology. Business Wire. February 13, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250213198098/en/Latent-Labs-Secures-50M-in-Funding-to-Realize-the-Potential-of-AI-Powered-Programmable-Biology
2. How Latent Labs Plans To Create Medicines From Scratch With AI. Forbes. February 13, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidprosser/2025/02/12/how-latent-labs-plans-to-create-medicines-from-scratch-with-ai/
