Bristol-based biotech EnsiliTech has raised £4.5 million in seed funding to advance its revolutionary Ensilication technology that could transform global pharmaceutical distribution by eliminating the need for cold chain storage. The oversubscribed round was led by Eos Advisory and followed by Calculus Capital, with participation from Empirical Ventures, Fink Family Office, QantX, Angel Investors Bristol and HERmesa.
The company, which spun out of the University of Bath in 2022, aims to address a critical challenge in global healthcare: the reliance on expensive and energy-intensive cold chain systems that have remained largely unchanged for decades. According to EnsiliTech, cold chain failures cost the pharmaceutical industry an estimated £26 billion annually, while the World Health Organization reports that up to 50% of vaccines are wasted in developing economies due to cold chain breakdowns.
Breakthrough Silica-Based Technology
EnsiliTech's patented Ensilication technology uses silica - the primary material found in sand - to create protective coatings around biological materials. The process involves applying tiny layers of inorganic material to vaccines, antibodies and other biopharmaceuticals, rendering them stable at temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius without refrigeration or freezing.
"Using Ensilication, tiny layers of an inorganic material are applied to the biological material, rendering it stable outside the fridge or freezer," EnsiliTech explained. The technology creates an individual, tailored protective coat around each active ingredient using biocompatible, inert and inexpensive silica.
When ready for administration, the silica cage cracks open and falls away, leaving the active ingredient in its pure, fully functional form. This breakthrough could enable life-saving medicines to be transported anywhere across the globe, including regions where access to reliable refrigeration presents a major barrier to healthcare delivery.
Addressing Global Healthcare Inequities
The technology's potential impact extends far beyond cost savings. By eliminating cold chain requirements, Ensilication could dramatically improve access to essential medicines in underserved regions lacking reliable electrical infrastructure or refrigeration capabilities.
"Our mission is to ensure that life-saving medicines and vaccines reach everyone, everywhere, regardless of infrastructure or geography," said CEO Dr. Asel Sartbaeva, who co-founded the company alongside Dr. Stephen Wells, Dr. Aswin Doekhie and Dr. Matt Slade. "By eliminating the need for refrigeration, our technology significantly reduces supply-chain costs and drug waste, while also lowering the environmental impact of pharmaceutical distribution."
Dr. Sartbaeva began developing the Ensilication technology in 2012, demonstrating the long development timeline required for such innovative approaches to pharmaceutical stability.
Investment and Commercial Development
The seed funding will be used to accelerate proof-of-concept uptake for existing and novel biopharmaceuticals through new hires and enhanced infrastructure capabilities. The investment will also support generation of key validation data required to integrate Ensilication into pharmaceutical manufacturing workflows.
"EnsiliTech has the technology to transform how vaccines and other therapeutics are transported and stored. Reducing wastage, reducing cost and vastly improving health outcomes across the globe, this kind of science and this scale of potential sits at the core of our investment thesis at Eos," said Anne Muir, director of portfolio at Eos Advisory.
The company's leadership structure, featuring a female CEO and majority female R&D teams, attracted investment from HERmesa, which specifically supports female-led businesses. This diversity focus reflects EnsiliTech's commitment to both scientific excellence and inclusive leadership in biotechnology innovation.
Market Impact and Future Applications
The technology's commercial momentum suggests broad applicability across the biopharmaceutical sector. By addressing fundamental storage and transportation challenges that have persisted for decades, Ensilication could reshape pharmaceutical supply chains globally while reducing environmental impact through decreased energy consumption for refrigeration.
The successful oversubscription of EnsiliTech's seed round indicates strong investor confidence in the technology's potential to address one of the pharmaceutical industry's most persistent logistical challenges while improving global health equity.
