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§ Private Profile · Cambridge, MA, USA
Biotechnology company develops variant-proof vaccines and antibody drugs for viral threats, focused on predicting viral evolution with AI.
Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Apriori Bio is a biotechnology company that develops variant-proof vaccines and antibody therapeutics by utilizing an artificial intelligence platform to predict the future trajectory of viral evolution. The organization deploys its proprietary Octavia system to map the complete mutational landscape of rapidly evolving pathogens, specifically targeting complex infectious diseases such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and HIV. Emerging from stealth operations, the enterprise secured a $50 million initial funding commitment provided entirely by its creator and lead institutional investor, Flagship Pioneering. Beyond direct drug development, the firm supplies real-time public health policy insights to government agencies by assessing emerging variant impacts, which contributed to its selection as a 2023 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. Apriori Bio was founded in 2020 by Alex Goldsmith, Daniel Acker, Lovisa Afzelius, and Noubar Afeyan.
Apriori Bio has raised $51.1M across 2 funding rounds.
Apriori Bio has raised $51.1M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Apriori Bio has raised $51.1M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $1.1M Seed in July 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | $1.1M Seed | Coalition For Epidemic Preparedness Innovations | — | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2022 | $50M Series A | — | Catalio Capital, Flagship Pioneering | Announced |
Apriori Bio has raised $51.1M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Apriori Bio's investors include Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Catalio Capital, Flagship Pioneering.
Apriori Bio is a biotechnology company developing variant-resilient vaccines and therapeutics against rapidly evolving viral threats using its AI-powered platform, Octavia™.[1][3][4] Founded in 2020 by Flagship Pioneering and based in Cambridge, MA, it serves public health organizations, vaccine developers, and governments by mapping existing and potential viral variants to predict threats, design effective antibodies and vaccines, and inform real-time policy.[2][4][6] The platform addresses the core problem of viruses evolving faster than traditional countermeasures, enabling proactive protection; it has raised $50M in Series A funding in 2022 and received a $1.1M grant from CEPI in 2024, signaling strong early momentum with 11-50 employees and partnerships like A*STAR for saRNA influenza vaccines.[2][6][7]
Apriori Bio emerged in 2020 from Flagship Labs, an innovation unit of Flagship Pioneering, a bioplatform company known for launching high-impact biotech ventures.[1][4][5] Lovisa Afzelius, Ph.D., MBA, serves as Co-Founder and CEO, with her background as an Origination Partner at Flagship Pioneering driving the vision for "a priori" preparedness against viral evolution.[4] The idea crystallized amid the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing how viruses like SARS-CoV-2 outpace reactive vaccine development; Octavia™ was built to generate millions of synthetic variants in vitro, measure antibody binding, and use machine learning to forecast threats before they emerge.[2][4] Early traction included its official launch in July 2022 with $50M funding from Flagship, followed by CEPI support in 2024 to refine the platform.[2][6]
Apriori Bio stands out in biotech through Octavia™, a biology-informed AI platform that experimentally surveys the full "fitness landscape" of viral variants—existing and potential—rather than reacting post-emergence.[1][3][5]
Apriori Bio rides the wave of AI-driven predictive biology and pandemic preparedness, amplified by post-COVID urgency for rapid-response tools amid rising viral threats like influenza and Disease X.[6] Its timing aligns with global initiatives like CEPI's 100 Days Mission to develop vaccines in under 100 days, countering market forces such as viral mutation rates outpacing R&D.[4][6] By enabling variant-proof solutions, Apriori influences the ecosystem: it empowers public health policy, accelerates platform tech adoption (supporting 50+ CEPI candidates), and shifts biotech from reactive chasing to proactive design, potentially reducing outbreak suffering.[1][5][6]
Apriori Bio is poised to expand Octavia™ applications to priority pathogens, leveraging recent CEPI and A*STAR deals for clinical milestones in flu and beyond.[6][7] Trends like AI-biotech convergence and escalating climate-linked outbreaks will fuel growth, with potential for broader licensing or acquisitions by big pharma. Its influence may evolve from pioneer to standard-setter in health security, delivering the variant-proof protection humanity needs—transforming viral threats from inevitable crises to manageable risks.[1][4]