ARTIS Ventures' Bet on Protein-Research Technology

By Brian Gormley, WSJ Pro

Good day. New gene-sequencing systems have supercharged genomics research. Investors with Artis Ventures see a similar revolution unfolding in protein research.

Powerful DNA sequencers have cut the cost of decoding genomes and enabled larger-scale deployment of genomics in research and medicine. But genes are only part of the equation when it comes to understanding the roots of disease. Proteins, the molecular workhorses of cells, also are important.

Artis has backed two startups with new technologies for studying proteins. It has just led a $5.2 million seed funding for protein-research, or proteomics, startup Range Biotechnologies after joining a financing for proteomics startup Glyphic Biotechnologies in 2021.

Glyphic says it has a new platform for sequencing the amino acids of proteins in a sample. It is valuable for tasks such as discovering proteins that weren't on scientists' radar before and discerning which could be valuable as drug targets, said Ameena El-Bibany, an Artis partner.

Range, for its part, says its platform enables researchers to quantify proteins on a large scale. Its applications include studying how a drug affects proteins in clinical trial participants, information valuable to drugmakers as they decide whether to continue advancing a particular compound, El-Bibany said.

Artis plans to continue considering opportunities in proteomics, including startups involved in protein design, she added.

This story was originally featured in WSJ Pro. Read it here: http://createsend.com/t/d-82066806BDAFD8542540EF23F30FEDED