Sano Genetics, a company focused on advancing personalized medicine research by encouraging greater involvement in clinical trials, has secured £2.5 million in seed funding.

This funding round was spearheaded by Episode1 Ventures, with contributions from Seedcamp, Cambridge Enterprise, January Ventures, and a group of angel investors located in both Europe and the United States. This investment builds upon £500,000 in pre-seed funding received in 2018.

Sano Genetics intends to allocate a portion of these new funds to provide complimentary at-home DNA testing kits to 3,000 individuals experiencing Long COVID. Further investment will also be directed towards enhancing its technology platform and expanding the company’s team.

Established in 2017 by Charlotte Guzzo, Patrick Short, and William Jones – who initially connected while pursuing postgraduate studies in genomics at Cambridge University – Sano Genetics has developed a technology platform designed with privacy as a core principle. This platform facilitates patient participation in medical research and clinical trials, including capabilities for at-home genetic testing. The company currently supports investigations into conditions such as multiple sclerosis, ankylosing spondylitis, NAFLD, and ulcerative colitis, with plans to initiate a research program for Parkinson’s disease later in 2021.

According to Sano Genetics CEO Patrick Short, “The current process for individuals wanting to participate in medical research is often cumbersome.” He explains that participation frequently offers limited benefits beyond altruism, is often time-intensive, and raises concerns regarding the confidentiality of sensitive genetic and medical data.

“Consequently,” Short continues, “biotech, pharmaceutical, and academic researchers encounter significant difficulties in attracting and retaining research participants, which substantially increases the cost and duration of their studies. Identifying suitable patients is particularly challenging for research involving genetics and precision therapies, as genetic testing is not yet a standard component of healthcare.”

To address these challenges, Sano Genetics connects appropriate participants with relevant research opportunities through its platform. It streamlines participation by offering at-home genetic testing and providing guidance throughout the process.

“Our system ensures users have a clear understanding of how their data will be used and provides them with simple tools to manage it,” Short clarifies. “We maintain user engagement and involvement by providing updates on the research they contribute to, along with personalized content such as genetic reports and stories from others with similar experiences on our blog.”

A typical user is an individual living with a chronic or rare disease who utilizes the platform to participate in research that could directly benefit them – for example, gaining access to a novel therapy through a clinical trial – or to assist others facing similar health challenges.

Sano Genetics generates income by charging biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies fees for identifying suitable patients for their studies. “Our standard study arrangement includes a setup fee, a per-test fee for our at-home genetic testing and analysis, and a fee for each qualified participant referred to their research study,” explains the Sano Genetics CEO.