Google-backed Isomorphic Labs Raises $ 2.1 Bn to Enhance AI-based Drug Discovery Platform

The newly raised capital will be deployed to enhance its AI platform, therapeutic pipeline, and clinical talent to support its drug discovery efforts

London-based AI drug discovery company Isomorphic Labs has raised $2.1 billion in a Series B funding round led by Thrive Capital.

The funding round was joined by Alphabet and Google’s GV and included new participants such as MGX, Temasek, CapitalG, and the U.K. government’s AI fund.

Founded by Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis in 2021, the platform is focused on leveraging predictive and generative AI models to power drug discovery.

The newly raised capital will be deployed to enhance its AI platform, therapeutic pipeline, and clinical talent to support its drug discovery efforts.

At the core of the company’s platform is IsoDDE (Isomorphic Labs Drug Design Engine), which leverages an AI model to support drug discovery across multiple therapeutic areas.

In addition, Isomorphic has also developed AlphaFold 3, a Google DeepMind-partnered model designed to predict the structures and interactions of molecules, enabling effective treatment of diseases.

As per the company, the IsoDDE is expected to improve AlphaFold capabilities by improving the prediction of molecular interactions in the body.

The company plans to begin its first clinical trial by the end of 2026.

Commenting on the latest funding, Isomorphic founder Demis Hassabis said, “This capital injection allows us to build out our drug design engine at scale, driving us forward in our mission to solve all diseases.”

The new capital infusion will be used to develop and deploy Isomorphic’s AI drug-design engine, dubbed IsoDDE, and to accelerate its in-house drug pipeline into the clinic.

The company reported stronger performance in areas including protein-ligand prediction, binding pockets, modelling antibody-antigen interactions, and estimating binding affinity.

Commenting on the new development, Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer at Alphabet and Google, said, “ Isomorphic Labs has already made extraordinary progress in harnessing AI to accelerate drug discovery, and we are excited by this momentum and the early promise of the technology platform. This trajectory is encouraging, and this funding will be used to accelerate the work and bring important interventions to market with greater speed."

Last year, Isomorphic Labs raised $600 million in its first external funding round.

The investment was led by Thrive Capital, with participation from GV and existing investor Alphabet.

Further, the company also recently expanded its collaboration with Novartis, adding three additional research programs.

Alongside the partnership with Novartis, the company has also collaborated with Eli Lilly, focused on AI drug discovery initiatives. Both deals are estimated to be $3 billion.

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