In this episode, Surani explores the unconventional start-up story of Infinimmune, an antibody discovery company founded in 2022 by five former 10x Genomics scientists. Starting with a scientific hunch that advances in single-cell sequencing were revealing previously overlooked antibody biology, the team went from debating ideas in a tiny California office to raising a $12 million seed round in just three months. Four years later, Infinimmune has raised close to $90 million, built its own pipeline of antibody drugs and signed a multi-target discovery partnership with Merck worth up to $838 million.
Surani speaks with co-founder and CEO Wyatt McDonnell about his journey from academia to 10x Genomics, the scientific observations that led him to question what he'd been taught about antibody biology, and why he ultimately decided there was a company to build around them. Wyatt discusses bringing together five former colleagues, raising capital early in his career, building Infinimmune's discovery platform, and how the team earned the trust of Merck.
Timestamps
00:00 – From a scientific hunch to an $838M Merck deal
02:00 – Infinimmune's human-first approach to antibody discovery
04:00 – Wyatt McDonnell's journey from academia to 10x Genomics
09:00 – How COVID changed the trajectory of Wyatt's research
11:00 – Questioning the textbooks and uncovering overlooked antibody biology
13:00 – Turning a scientific observation into a biotech company
16:00 – Raising a $12M seed round in just three months
17:00 – What investors made of five 10x scientists starting a company together
21:00 – Building the platform much faster than expected
22:00 – How Infinimmune built credibility with Merck
25:00 – Landing a partnership worth up to $838M
26:00 – The $75M Series A and what comes next
27:00 – Partnerships, M&A, IPOs and thinking about an eventual exit
For any comments, questions or feedback you can connect directly with Surani Fernando on LinkedIn or email: raisingbiotech@gmail.com
Title music composed by: Yurii Semchyshyn (Coma Media)