Belfast-based startup AMPLY Discovery has raised $1.75 million in seed funding to push forward its mission: using artificial intelligence to build new treatments for cancer and antibiotic-resistant infections. As resistance grows and many existing drugs lose their power, AMPLY is stepping in with a faster, smarter approach.
AI Drug Discovery: Tackling Urgent Health Crises
Instead of focusing on a single drug, AMPLY is building a full pipeline of treatments. These therapies target deadly diseases like triple-negative breast cancer and hard-to-treat lung infections. Backed by investors such as Twin Path Ventures, the company is now moving its precision medicine programs through preclinical testing.
AMPLY uses its proprietary AI platform, AMPLYfolioAI, to spot new drug candidates. The system blends synthetic biology, genetic sequencing, and machine learning to understand disease complexity. This approach helps AMPLY find powerful solutions faster—and at a lower cost.
For Dr. Ben Thomas, AMPLY’s CEO and co-founder, this work is deeply personal. He shifted from financial modeling to computational biology after losing his father to an untreatable infection. That loss became the spark for a bold idea: use AI to fight drug resistance and cancer.
Thomas built the foundation of AMPLY at Queen’s University Belfast, where he met co-founder Dermot Tierney. They later brought in Professor Chris Creevey, a computational biology expert, to strengthen the scientific core of the platform.
Each year, more than 1.2 million people die from antimicrobial resistance. Millions more are affected. If the trend continues, the global economic toll could hit trillions by 2050. Meanwhile, many cancer treatments still fail to reach aggressive or rare forms. AMPLY’s goal is to close that gap with smarter, targeted therapies.
Personalized Medicine Meets Scalable AI Technology
AMPLY’s platform can quickly scan massive datasets to find new drug targets. It then uses bio-printing to create and test molecules in the lab. This enables rapid development of therapies tailored to each patient’s unique biology.
One promising area is inhalable peptides for drug-resistant lung infections. The company is also advancing gene-silencing treatments for acute myeloid leukemia and triple-negative breast cancer—two of the most stubborn cancer types.
Leading the investment is Twin Path Ventures, a London-based firm focused on AI innovation. Other backers include Venture Science, Co-Fund NI, QUBIS Limited, and the British Business Bank. These investors see AMPLY’s blend of biology and data science as a recipe for real impact.
Katie Lockwood, Partner at Twin Path, shared why they backed AMPLY. She explained that the startup’s proprietary data, fast validation process, and human-in-the-loop AI approach stood out. “Data is the new oil,” she said. “AMPLY’s ability to test results in vitro and in vivo shows real-world potential—not just hype.”
Co-founder Dermot Tierney added that the funding comes at a crucial time. Many biotech startups face a tough fundraising environment. But AMPLY’s focus on high-need areas gave it an edge. “We’re building therapies for infections and cancers that are resistant to today’s treatments,” Tierney said. “This capital helps us keep going and reach patients who urgently need better options.”
Looking ahead, AMPLY plans to expand its biologics pipeline and explore more high-impact diseases. The team also hopes to develop rapid-response treatments for future health threats, including potential pandemics.
With its AI-first platform and personal mission, AMPLY is ready to reshape how the world discovers new medicine—one life-saving treatment at a time.
