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§ Private Profile · Cambridge, United Kingdom
Life sciences technology company developing epigenetic sequencing technologies for genomic research, focused on disease detection.
Based in Cambridge, UK, Cambridge Epigenetix develops advanced epigenetic sequencing technologies that detect DNA modifications at single-base resolution to improve disease diagnosis and oncology research. The company provides proprietary tools that integrate seamlessly with existing sequencing platforms, allowing life sciences researchers to simultaneously analyze genetic and epigenetic information. Currently maintaining a workforce of approximately 39 employees, the enterprise has raised $146 million in total venture capital funding across multiple financing rounds to support its commercial launch and ongoing product development. The firm is backed by prominent lead investors including GV, Sequoia Capital, and Temasek, while supplying its sequencing products to major genomic research institutions such as the Babraham Institute and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Operating as a spin-out from the University of Cambridge, the organization was originally founded in 2012 by Shankar Balasubramanian and Bobby Yerramilli-Rao.
Cambridge Epigenetix has raised $139.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Cambridge Epigenetix has raised $139.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Cambridge Epigenetix has raised $139.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $88.0M Series D in November 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2021 | $88M Series D | Temasek | Craft Ventures, Creandum, Dawn Capital, F Prime Capital, Erik Nordlander, GV, LAUNCH, Sequoia Capital, Vendep Capital, Nikolaj Nyholm, Pete Moore, Ahren Innovation Capital, Third Point | Announced |
| Apr 2, 2018 | $30M Series C | Alice Newcombe Ellis | — | Announced |
| Mar 1, 2016 | $21M Series B | GV | Andreessen Horowitz, Craft Ventures, Creandum, Dawn Capital, Floodgate, F Prime Capital, Greylock, Erik Nordlander, Khosla Ventures, LAUNCH, Sequoia Capital, Vendep Capital, Webb Investment Network, Dharmesh Shah, Nikolaj Nyholm, Pete Moore, Syncona, University OF Cambridge | Announced |
Cambridge Epigenetix has raised $139.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Cambridge Epigenetix's investors include Temasek, Craft Ventures, Creandum, Dawn Capital, F-Prime Capital Partners, Erik Nordlander, GV, LAUNCH, Sequoia Capital, Vendep Capital, Nikolaj Nyholm, Pete Moore.
# Cambridge Epigenetix: High-Level Overview
Cambridge Epigenetix (now operating as biomodal) is a biosciences tools company that develops sequencing technologies to analyze epigenetic modifications in DNA.[1][3] The company aims to be the world's leading provider of epigenetic analysis tools by making the study of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation as accessible as traditional DNA sequencing.[1] Founded in 2012, the company serves pharmaceutical researchers, diagnostic developers, and academic labs seeking to understand disease mechanisms—particularly in cancer detection and personalized medicine.[2][4] Its core innovation addresses a critical gap: while genomic sequencing is routine, epigenetic analysis has remained technically complex and expensive, limiting its adoption in clinical and research settings.
The company has evolved from a single-product focus (TrueMethyl) to a multiomics platform that simultaneously captures genetic and epigenetic information from a single DNA sample.[6] This represents a significant leap in capability, enabling researchers to see the full complexity of biological information encoded in genomes without requiring multiple experiments or complex bioinformatics workflows.
Cambridge Epigenetix was founded in 2012 by Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian and Dr. Bobby Yerramilli-Rao, building on foundational research by Balasubramanian and Professor Wolf Reik into epigenetic modifications at single-base resolution.[2] Balasubramanian brought proven entrepreneurial credentials: he had previously co-founded Solexa Limited in 1998, which developed Sequencing-by-Synthesis technology—the foundational platform that Illumina later acquired and scaled into the dominant NGS technology.[1] This track record positioned him to recognize the market opportunity in epigenetics and the technical barriers that needed solving.
The company's first product, TrueMethyl, launched in 2013, pioneering oxidative bisulfite sequencing (oxBS-Seq) to distinguish between methylcytosine and hydroxymethylcytosine at single-base resolution.[2] An enhanced version, the TrueMethyl Whole Genome kit, followed in 2016.[2] Early traction came through partnerships with leading biopharma companies and adoption in labs worldwide, with the company achieving £4.6 million in annual turnover by 2020.[2]
Cambridge Epigenetix operates at the intersection of two major biotech trends: the democratization of genomic tools and the rise of epigenetics in precision medicine. While DNA sequencing has become routine and cost-effective, epigenetic analysis—critical for understanding cancer, neurodegeneration, and aging—has remained technically challenging and expensive. The company is positioned to catalyze the epigenetics market much as Illumina did for genomics a decade earlier.[1]
The timing is particularly significant: cancer researchers increasingly recognize that epigenetic signatures offer diagnostic and therapeutic insights distinct from genetic mutations alone.[2] Liquid biopsy applications, maternal-fetal health monitoring, and neurodegenerative disease research all stand to benefit from accessible epigenetic tools. By removing technical barriers and enabling multiomics analysis, biomodal is expanding the information content researchers can extract from limited biological samples—a critical advantage in clinical diagnostics where sample volume is often constrained.
The company's venture funding trajectory (three successful rounds as of 2020, with recent Series D participation from JIMCO Life Sciences Fund) reflects investor confidence in both the technology and market opportunity.[2][4]
Cambridge Epigenetix/biomodal is executing a proven playbook: take a complex, specialized technique; simplify it through elegant chemistry and software; and scale it across a large installed base of sequencers. The rebranding to biomodal signals ambition beyond epigenetics alone—toward a broader multiomics vision where genetic and epigenetic data are inseparable.
The next frontier likely involves clinical translation: moving from research tools to diagnostic products that enable early cancer detection, risk stratification, and treatment selection. Success here would validate the company's thesis that epigenetic information is not merely scientifically interesting but clinically actionable. Partnerships with biopharma companies and diagnostic developers will be critical to this transition.
As personalized medicine matures, the ability to read both genetic and epigenetic information from minimal samples becomes increasingly valuable. Biomodal is well-positioned to become the standard platform for this capability—much as Illumina became synonymous with genomics sequencing.