Biotech Startup Automera Raises $16 Million in Series A Round Led by ALSP and ClavystBio

Singapore-based biotechnology firm Automera has successfully secured $16 million in a Series A funding round. The funding round was co-led by Accelerator Life Science Partners (ALSP) and ClavystBio, a Temasek-backed accelerator focusing on global health solutions. Other participants included EDBI, Xora Innovation, and undisclosed investors.

Automera, co-founded by Michael Lazarou, Loong Wang, and Taiyang Zhang, is an early-stage biotechnology firm developing innovative therapeutic approaches centered around autophagy-based targeted protein degradation.

The company seeks to advance its drug development programs by leveraging its expertise in autophagy, drug development capabilities, and access to quantum chemistry and generative AI-driven insights.

Loong Wang, the Co-Founder of Automera, spoke to the media during the announcement. “Automera was founded on the premise that improving health outcomes for people with serious diseases requires new technologies that make it easier, faster, and less expensive to develop safe and effective medicines,” he said.

Automera’s primary focus will be on the development of therapies for cancer. The latest funding round, co-led by Accelerator Life Science Partners (ALSP) and ClavystBio, a Temasek-backed accelerator emphasizing global health solutions, is expected to help Automera expand its research and development endeavors in the field of autophagy-targeted therapies.

ALSP’s Executive Vice President and Automera board member, Alice Chen, expressed ALSP’s collaboration with the Singapore biotech community to enhance the technological advancements and programs being developed by Automera.

Automera has established an esteemed scientific advisory group, comprising Associate Professor Michael Lazarou, one of Automera’s Scientific Co-Founders affiliated with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) and the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute.

Accelerator Life Science Partners (ALSP) is an early-stage life science accelerator and investment firm dedicated to nurturing innovative biotechnology companies. They focus on creating and developing these companies by providing comprehensive support, leveraging their network, and utilizing their entrepreneurial expertise.

On the other hand, ClavystBio is a venture builder initiated by Temasek, a Singaporean state-owned fund. ClavystBio’s core mission is to act as a catalyst for global health solutions originating from Singapore. Since its establishment in 2022, the firm has invested over $220 million in various sectors, including biotechnology, diagnostics, digital health, and early-stage venture capital funds.

Singapore has emerged as a prominent biotech hub in the Asia-Pacific region, characterized by a thriving startup ecosystem and supportive government policies. The city-state has also taken significant steps to address the increasing demand for skilled professionals in the biotech industry.

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