WhiteLab Genomics has raised $26 million in a Series B funding round to accelerate its AI-driven approach to designing genomic medicines. The round was led by AVP, with new investors Yaday Health and Blast Club joining alongside existing backers Omnes and Debiopharm. The company’s board now includes François Robinet, managing partner at AVP, and Dr. Daniel Teper, founder of NAYA Therapeutics and managing partner at Yaday Health. The capital injection is expected to fuel the firm’s next phase of development.
The startup, founded in 2019 and backed by Y Combinator, uses AI to identify genetic targets and design therapies—including both the genetic material and the delivery systems needed to reach specific cells. Its platform, ALFRED, analyzes biological data to optimize these components, aiming to improve precision in gene-based treatments. By integrating large-scale datasets, the platform seeks to reduce the time required to move from target identification to candidate selection.
The new funding will support preclinical testing of gene delivery methods and genetic payloads. The company plans to build a portfolio of validated assets it can develop independently or license to pharmaceutical partners. Operations will expand in Boston, the U.S. West Coast, Europe, Japan, and South Korea.
David Del Bourgo, WhiteLab’s cofounder and CEO, emphasized that AI’s potential depends on real-world effectiveness. “We have already presented compelling results.” He added, “This financing allows us to scale that work across multiple delivery technologies and payloads, build a portfolio of validated bio-assets and bring them to biopharma partners around the world.”
WhiteLab’s growth follows a $10 million Series A round in 2022, which it used to expand its R&D team and U.S. presence.
Competitors like Dyno Therapeutics also use AI for gene therapies, focusing on capsid technology, engineering viral protein shells to target specific tissues. In October 2024, Dyno Therapeutics expanded its collaboration with Roche and secured a $50 million upfront payment. Roche subsequently exercised an option to license a Dyno vector for an undisclosed neurological disease in January 2025, resulting in a $7 million payment.
