Scripta Therapeutics Raises $12 Million Seed Round to Pioneer Biology‑First Drug Discovery

Oxford, UK‑based Scripta Therapeutics has emerged from stealth with a $12 million seed funding round aimed at transforming the way new medicines are discovered by targeting the fundamental biological mechanisms that drive disease. The fundraising marks a major milestone for the techbio startup, which blends artificial intelligence, advanced imaging and patient‑derived models to unearth therapeutic candidates capable of modulating transcription factor activity — a core driver of cellular dysfunction in conditions like Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The seed round was co‑led by Oxford Science Enterprises and Apollo Health Ventures, two investors with deep expertise in early‑stage life sciences and transformative technology. Oxford Science Enterprises is known for nurturing science‑based ventures emerging from the University of Oxford and other research institutions, while Apollo Health Ventures focuses on backing companies developing breakthrough solutions for age‑related and complex diseases.

Joining the lead investors were AlbionVC, a European venture capital firm investing across technology and healthcare sectors; YZR Capital, an early backer of high‑potential techbio startups; and Parkwalk Advisors, a specialist investor that partners with university spinouts and academic founders. The round also received support from Oxford University Innovation, the company commercialising research from the University of Oxford.

Founded by biotech veteran Peter Hamley, formerly global head of external innovation at Sanofi and with leadership experience at AstraZeneca and Samsara Therapeutics, Scripta has set its sights on a “biology‑first” approach to drug discovery. Instead of focusing on traditional, single target‑based strategies, the startup is leveraging computational models of gene regulatory networks to identify key transcription factors — often referred to as “master controllers” of gene expression — that orchestrate the complex biological programs underlying disease states.

By combining laboratory experiments with cutting‑edge AI and data‑rich informatics, Scripta’s platform seeks to reveal and validate novel therapeutic opportunities that can reset diseased cells to healthier states. The company’s multidisciplinary team integrates expertise from biology, computation and disease research, aiming to accelerate the identification of drug candidates with real potential to modify disease progression rather than merely treat symptoms.

In announcing the successful raise, Hamley said the capital will enable the company to advance its discovery pipeline and deepen its understanding of transcription factor‑driven mechanisms, particularly in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. By concentrating on such diseases and collaborating with scientific co‑founder Noel Buckley, Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Oxford, Scripta is applying its platform to some of the most challenging frontiers in therapeutics.

As part of the company’s growth strategy, Scripta has strengthened its leadership and governance. Ray Barlow, CEO of SynOx Therapeutics and a seasoned biotech executive, has joined the Scripta board as a non‑executive director, bringing additional strategic and commercial insight to the startup.

Investors backing Scripta see the company’s innovative biology‑first model as emblematic of a broader shift in drug discovery, where data intensity, systems‑level insight and computational power converge to address diseases that have eluded effective treatment for decades. Claire Brown, Partner at Oxford Science Enterprises and a board member of Scripta, noted that the company represents the next generation of technology‑enabled drug discovery emerging from the Oxford ecosystem. Marianne Mertens, Partner at Apollo Health Ventures, emphasised that targeting transcription factor activity holds significant promise for creating disease‑modifying therapies, especially in the realm of neurodegeneration.

With the €10.3 million (approximately $12 million) raised in this seed round, Scripta is poised to expand its research and development efforts, build on its early scientific advances and position itself at the forefront of a new paradigm in drug discovery. By focusing on the underlying regulators of disease biology, the company aims to unlock therapeutic strategies that could ultimately change treatment outcomes for patients facing some of the most intractable health challenges.