Ternary raises £3.6m to develop AI-designed molecular glue drugs

Young British biotech Ternary Therapeutics has raised £3.6 million ($4.6 million) in seed funding to advance an artificial intelligence platform designed to create “molecular glue” drugs, compounds that force two proteins inside cells to bind together and alter disease-driving biology.

The round was led by European venture capital firm daphni, with participation from Pace Ventures, i&i Biotech Fund and the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund, managed by Future Planet Capital.

Founded in November 2024 and based in London, Ternary aims to make the discovery of molecular glues predictable rather than accidental by combining artificial intelligence, physics-based modelling and rapid laboratory testing in a closed-loop design process.

Chief executive Chris Tame said the approach could allow scientists to design molecular glues deliberately rather than discovering them by chance. The funding will support expansion of the company’s scientific and computational teams and push its lead programs toward clinical development.

The company says its platform has already generated preclinical drug candidates targeting inflammatory diseases and has attracted research collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners.