Biotech startup Meta-Flux has raised €1.8 million in seed funding to accelerate the development of its AI-driven decision-support platform designed to transform preclinical drug discovery.
The round includes backing from senior executives at Pfizer, Merck, and Gilead Sciences, along with technology leaders from Google, Amazon, and Indeed — underscoring Meta-Flux’s growing traction at the intersection of AI and life sciences.
Using AI to bridge the gap between research and clinical reality
Founded in 2021, Meta-Flux is building what it calls an “AI biologist” — a platform that analyzes complex biological, clinical, and experimental data to help scientists test hypotheses, identify therapeutic pathways, and make faster, more informed go/no-go decisions.
By integrating gene, protein, and metabolic pathway data, the startup provides a systems-level view of biological processes. This holistic approach helps researchers turn vast multi-omic datasets into actionable insights, reducing wasted experimentation, lowering costs, and shortening the time needed to move promising candidates toward clinical testing.
“Our goal isn’t just to get more drugs to market — it’s to make sure the right ones reach the right patients. Once you have a drug and a target, we help you determine the right application, the specific disease subtype, and the patient population most likely to benefit.”
“Bringing a new drug to market is slow, expensive, and uncertain. Too often, promising compounds fail because researchers can’t clearly predict how they’ll behave,” said Lee Sherlock, founder and CEO.
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Investors highlight biology-first approach
“In a market saturated with AI claims, Meta-Flux stands out because it delivers actionable answers,” said Fernando Ferrer, data engineering leader and Meta-Flux investor. “Their platform cuts through noise and enables scientists to move from data to decision much faster.”
A senior R&D director at Gilead Sciences, also an investor, added:
“Over the next 12 to 18 months, AI will reshape preclinical research — improving prediction accuracy, accelerating discovery, and reducing costs. The key for pharma is finding AI partners who blend deep biological understanding with advanced modeling. Meta-Flux exemplifies that focus, addressing complex scientific questions that create real commercial impact.”
About Meta-Flux
Meta-Flux is a Dublin-based biotech startup using AI and multi-omic data integration to accelerate preclinical drug discovery. Acting as an AI biologist, the platform enables adaptive experimentation, helps researchers optimise drug candidates, and supports more confident, data-driven decisions in early-stage development.
