CardiaTec: Revolutionizing Drug Discovery for Cardiovascular Diseases
Heart of the Problem
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has shown great promise in transforming various industries. One area where AI has the potential to make groundbreaking breakthroughs is in the field of drug discovery. By analyzing vast amounts of biological data, AI can help researchers predict how different chemical compounds interact with specific targets in the body, thus accelerating the discovery of potential drug candidates. This has led to a surge in startups raising significant funding to explore AI’s potential in drug discovery.
One such company is CardiaTec, a Cambridge University spinout dedicated to tackling cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). CVDs are the leading cause of death globally, with ischaemic heart disease (coronary heart disease) responsible for 13% of total deaths worldwide. Founded in 2021 by biotech and bioengineering graduates Raphael Peralta and Thelma Zablocki, CardiaTec aims to decode the biology of CVDs using AI.
Heart Tissue Data Collection
To achieve its goal, CardiaTec has partnered with 65 hospitals in the UK and the US, which provide human heart tissue as part of the company’s data collection efforts. This collaboration allows CardiaTec to build the largest human heart tissue-multi-omics dataset, encompassing a wide range of biological information. By analyzing this dataset, CardiaTec hopes to identify novel and targeted therapeutics for CVDs.
Access to human tissue has historically been challenging due to ethical and logistical concerns. However, with the advancement of hospital infrastructure, CardiaTec can now access human tissues and generate valuable data. By comparing healthy artery tissue with tissue affected by plaque buildup, CardiaTec can gain insights into the mechanisms driving CVDs. This approach involves analyzing various “multi-omics” data types, such as genetics, epigenetics, gene expression, and protein function, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the disease.
Differentiating Factors and Funding
CardiaTec stands out among other AI-driven drug discovery companies due to its exclusive focus on cardiovascular diseases. According to data from Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, only 3% of active AI-first companies are targeting cardiovascular diseases. This presents a significant opportunity for CardiaTec, as cardiovascular diseases are the leading global cause of death, yet the unmet need in this area has not been fully addressed by the pharmaceutical industry.
In terms of funding, CardiaTec recently raised $6.5 million in a seed round led by Montage Ventures. Other participants included Continuum Health Ventures, Laidlaw Ventures, Apex Ventures, and several angel investors. This funding will enable CardiaTec to expand its data collection efforts, validate its therapeutic targets model in wet labs, and grow its team in Cambridge.
The Road Ahead
While AI-driven drugs have yet to reach the market, the early promise of AI in drug discovery has generated immense excitement and investment. Startups like CardiaTec are at the forefront of this revolution, leveraging AI and data analysis to tackle the challenges of cardiovascular diseases. By focusing on this specific area, CardiaTec aims to make significant contributions to drug discovery and improve outcomes for patients with CVDs.
The journey from drug discovery to market approval is lengthy and complex, often costing billions of dollars. However, with continued advancements in AI and the accumulation of vast datasets, the potential for transformative breakthroughs in drug discovery is within reach. CardiaTec’s commitment to cardiovascular diseases and its novel approach to data collection position the company as a key player in the future of AI-driven drug discovery.
