Cambridge Epigenetix Funding, Investors & Competitors

Cambridge Epigenetix has raised $185M across 6 funding rounds, most recently a $88M Series D in November 2021.

Last Cambridge Epigenetix funding round

$88M

Series D · Nov 2021

Cumulative funding Cambridge Epigenetix raised

$185M

across 6 funding rounds

Key investors in Cambridge Epigenetix

  • New Science Ventures
  • Sequoia Capital
  • GV
  • Syncona
  • Ahren Innovation Capital
  • Temasek
  • University of Cambridge Enterprise
  • DNA Capital

Cambridge Epigenetix Overview

About Cambridge Epigenetix

Cambridge Epigenetix is a Cambridge, UK-headquartered clinical diagnostics company developing blood-based tests for colorectal cancer screening and monitoring via 5-hydroxymethylcytosine epigenetic biomarkers. Its assay detects tumors with 90% sensitivity using non-invasive plasma samples. Spun out from the University of Cambridge in 2012, the firm advances multi-cancer early detection panels. Cambridge Epigenetix collaborates with Illumina for sequencing integration and holds investments from Syncona and Google Ventures.


Founded

2012

HQ

United KingdomCambridge

Status

Privately held

Customer focus

B2B

Revenue model

Services

Cambridge Epigenetix Funding History

Cambridge Epigenetix has raised a total of $185M across 6 funding rounds.

Cambridge Epigenetix's first fundraising round was a $6M Series A in October 2014. The most recent completed round was a $88M Series D in November 2021.

Cambridge Epigenetix funding rounds

Cambridge Epigenetix funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedDeal Summary
Nov 2021Series DTemasek (lead); GV; Third Point; Sequoia Capital; New Science Ventures; Ahren Innovation Capital$88MCambridge Epigenetix (CEGX) is a Cambridge, UK-based life sciences tools and technology company revolutionizing genome sequencing by integrating genetic and epigenetic analysis into existing sequencing platforms. Its core SingleShot platform reads five letters per sequencing run: the four genetic bases (A, T, C, G) plus epigenetic markers methylcytosine or hydroxymethylcytosine, enhancing accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness without replacing current sequencers. The technology has been validated by leading institutions like The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Babraham Institute through early access programs. On November 2, 2021, CEGX announced an $88 million Series D financing round led by Temasek Holdings, with participation from new investor Third Point and existing investors GV, New Science Ventures, Ahren Innovation Capital, and Sequoia Capital. This brought total funds raised to $146 million. A University of Cambridge spinout founded by Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian FRS, the company was previously backed by Ahren in a $30 million Series C in 2018. Proceeds will support the commercial launch of the first multi-omic product in early 2022, manufacturing of laboratory kits combined with software, organizational expansion, and development of additional platform products like a 6-letter kit. The financing enables acceleration of commercialization for applications in detecting, diagnosing, treating, and understanding diseases through genomic and epigenomic insights. No financial metrics such as post-money valuation, revenue, ARR, EBITDA, or valuation multiples were disclosed in the round announcements or related coverage. The company positions itself to contribute to epigenomic research and precision medicine within the competitive DNA sequencing market.
Nov 2020Series A-$11M-
Sep 2018Series CAhren Innovation Capital (lead); GV; Sequoia Capital; New Science Ventures; DNA Capital$30MCambridge Epigenetix (CEGX) is a University of Cambridge spinout founded in 2012, co-founded by Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, focusing on epigenetic technologies using 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) modifications for disease detection via blood tests, enabling earlier cancer diagnosis, patient stratification, and liquid biopsies. The company develops a proprietary discovery platform for identifying disease-specific 5hmC DNA from blood and tissue samples. In April 2018, Ahren Innovation Capital led CEGX's $30 million Series C funding round, with participation from existing investors including Sequoia Capital, GV, New Science Ventures, and DNA Capital (Syncona). This followed prior rounds, with the Series C supporting transformation in patient care through routine epigenetic testing. CEGX continued fundraising, closing an $88 million Series D in a later round led by Temasek, with participation from Third Point, GV, New Science Ventures, Sequoia, and Ahren, bringing total funding to nearly $150 million to accelerate commercialization of its SingleShot platform for combined genetic and epigenetic DNA analysis compatible with existing sequencers. The platform analyzes five DNA letters including epigenetic markers to reduce sequencing costs and improve accuracy. Backed by prominent Cambridge scientists, CEGX operates in biotechnology and epigenetics, attracting deep tech investors like Ahren, which focuses on genetics and platform technologies.
Apr 2018Series CHermes Growth Partners$30MCambridge Epigenetix, the University of Cambridge life sciences spinout that now trades as biomodal, raised a $30 million Series C round led by Ahren Innovation Capital and announced on 2 April 2018. Ahren said the round drew strong participation from existing investors; the company's shareholder base at the time comprised GV, Sequoia Capital, New Science Ventures, Syncona, DNA Capital and Cambridge Enterprise, and Hermes Growth Partners is recorded as an investor in the round. No valuation was disclosed and the individual investor allocations were not published. The financing followed a $21 million Series B led by GV in March 2016 and a $5.5 million Series A completed in late 2014, and was intended to advance the company's epigenetic sequencing chemistry towards commercial diagnostic applications. Alice Newcombe-Ellis, founder and chief executive of Ahren, said the company was at the cutting edge of the science, brought a seasoned team and addressed a large market. Jason Mellad, chief executive of Cambridge Epigenetix, said the funding gave the company the potential to transform patient care because a person's epigenetic code changes over time, making testing something that could become routine and regular. Cambridge Epigenetix was spun out of the University of Cambridge in 2012 by Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, co-inventor of Solexa sequencing, and Bobby Yerramilli-Rao, who co-founded Hermes Growth Partners. Based in Cambridge, England, it developed a discovery platform that identifies disease-specific hydroxymethylated DNA from blood and tissue samples, aimed at earlier and more accurate cancer diagnosis, improved patient stratification and liquid-biopsy test development. It sells kits and sequencing services to research institutions and biopharmaceutical customers rather than running its own clinical laboratory. The company went on to raise an $88 million Series D led by Temasek in 2021 and rebranded as biomodal in 2023.
Mar 2016Series BGV (lead); Sequoia Capital; New Science Ventures; University of Cambridge; Syncona$21MCambridge Epigenetix (CEGX), a University of Cambridge spin-out founded in 2012, develops epigenetic sequencing technologies that enable discrimination between DNA base changes beyond traditional bisulfite methods, aiming to unlock the epigenome's potential for health improvements similar to genomics advancements. The company closed a $21 million Series B financing round on March 14, 2016, led by GV (formerly Google Ventures), with significant participation from Sequoia Capital and existing investors New Science Ventures, Syncona Partners, and the University of Cambridge. GV general partner Tom Hulme joined the board, and Dr. Geoff Smith, formerly of Illumina, became CEO, bringing expertise in genomics and next-generation sequencing. This Series B followed a $5.5 million Series A in late 2014 from New Science Ventures, Syncona Partners, and Cambridge Enterprise. The funding supports CEGX's mission to commercialize novel epigenetics technologies for continuous epigenome measurement, positioning the company to catalyze the epigenetics market. Investors highlighted the team's unique skills to pioneer epigenomics research and create data-driven value in life sciences. Later, in November 2021, CEGX raised an $88 million Series D led by Temasek, bringing total funding to $146 million, to commercialize its multi-omic sequencing platform compatible with existing sequencers, validated by institutions like the Babraham Institute.
Oct 2014Series ANew Science Ventures (lead); University of Cambridge Enterprise; Syncona$6MCambridge Epigenetix is a UK-based life sciences company developing epigenetic sequencing technologies, spun out from the University of Cambridge. The company was founded by Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, co-founder of Solexa, and focuses on tools for analyzing DNA modifications in epigenetics research. In October 2014, Cambridge Epigenetix raised a $5.5 million Series A round from investors New Science Ventures, Syncona Partners, and Cambridge Enterprise (also referred to as University of Cambridge Enterprise). New Science Ventures led the round. The company subsequently raised later rounds, including a $21 million Series B in March 2016 led by GV with participation from Sequoia Capital, New Science Ventures, Syncona, and Cambridge Enterprise, and an $88 million Series D led by Temasek.

Who has invested in Cambridge Epigenetix?

11 investors have backed Cambridge Epigenetix across its funding rounds, including New Science Ventures, Sequoia Capital, GV, Syncona, Ahren Innovation Capital and Temasek.

Lead investors include Temasek, Ahren Innovation Capital, GV and New Science Ventures.


Cambridge Epigenetix Investors

Investors in Cambridge Epigenetix by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check
New Science VenturesUnited StatesGreenwich, CT4LeadOct 2014
GVUnited StatesSan Francisco, CA3LeadMar 2016
Sequoia CapitalUnited StatesSan Francisco, CA3ParticipantMar 2016
Ahren Innovation CapitalUnited KingdomLondon2LeadSep 2018
SynconaUnited KingdomLondon2ParticipantOct 2014
TemasekSingaporeSingapore1LeadNov 2021
University of Cambridge EnterpriseUnited KingdomUnited Kingdom1ParticipantOct 2014
Third PointUnited StatesNew York City, NY1ParticipantNov 2021
Hermes Growth PartnersUnited KingdomLondon1ParticipantApr 2018

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Cambridge Epigenetix Competitors

Cambridge Epigenetix competitors include listed companies like Roche, Natera, Illumina and Guardant Health, and private ones like Institut Merieux and Color.

Public and private companies comparable to Cambridge Epigenetix
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
RocheSwitzerlandSwitzerlandPublicly listed$77B$26B$351B4.9x
NateraUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$2.3B($266M)$53B19.0x
IlluminaUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$4.3B$1.4B$37B8.4x
Guardant HealthUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$982M($408M)$25B20.2x
Institut MerieuxFranceLyonPrivate--$8.5B-
ColorUnited StatesSan Francisco, CAPrivate--$4.6B-

Cambridge Epigenetix Public Comps

Cambridge Epigenetix is still privately-owned, but its public comps include Roche, Natera, Illumina, Guardant Health, Twist Bioscience, 10x Genomics, BillionToOne, Wantai BioPharm, Celcuity and GRAIL.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
Roche$77B$26B5.0x4.9x14.6x12.4x
Natera$2.3B($266M)22.5x19.0x(195.0x)(261.5x)
Illumina$4.3B$1.4B8.8x8.4x27.1x30.0x
Guardant Health$982M($408M)25.7x20.2x(61.8x)(129.5x)
Twist Bioscience$377M($63M)27.2x22.6x(161.4x)(316.8x)
10x Genomics$643M($16M)14.9x15.2x(591.7x)(160.9x)
BillionToOne$305M$12M15.8x11.7x401.1x75.4x
Wantai BioPharm$271M($24M)15.5x-(174.0x)-

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Common questions about Cambridge Epigenetix

When was Cambridge Epigenetix founded?Cambridge Epigenetix was founded in 2012.
Where is Cambridge Epigenetix headquartered?Cambridge Epigenetix is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Is Cambridge Epigenetix publicly listed?No, Cambridge Epigenetix is a private, VC-backed company.
How much funding has Cambridge Epigenetix raised?Cambridge Epigenetix has raised $185M across 6 funding rounds.
What was Cambridge Epigenetix's last funding round?Cambridge Epigenetix's last funding round was a $88M Series D in November 2021, led by Temasek.
Who are Cambridge Epigenetix's investors?Cambridge Epigenetix's investors include New Science Ventures, GV, Sequoia Capital, Ahren Innovation Capital, Syncona, Temasek, University of Cambridge Enterprise, Third Point, Hermes Growth Partners, DNA Capital and 1 other.
Which companies are comparable to Cambridge Epigenetix?Companies comparable to Cambridge Epigenetix include Roche, Natera, Illumina, Guardant Health, Institut Merieux and Color.

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