Tempus Secures $200M Series F Funding to Advance Gene Therapy Programs for Diabetes and Depression

VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) has learned that on May 30, medical technology company Tempus announced the completion of a $200 million Series F financing round. Investors included Baillie Gifford, Franklin Templeton, NEA, Novo Holdings, Revolution Growth, and T. Rowe Price. As part of this financing, Robert Ghenchev from Novo Holdings will join the Tempus board of directors.

Tempus is a startup headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence to develop precision medicine. The company was founded by Eric Lefkofsky in September 2015. To date, Tempus has raised $520 million, reaching a valuation of $3.1 billion.

Tempus has established the world’s largest molecular and clinical database, leveraging machine learning, next-generation DNA sequencing, and AI-driven image recognition technologies to analyze clinical and genomic data within the database. This process generates high-quality somatic and germline molecular data along with therapeutic context, enabling physicians and researchers to make real-time, data-driven decisions.

The company performs tumor-normal matched analysis by sequencing tumor DNA samples and normal DNA samples from bodily fluids to accurately distinguish between somatic and germline variants in patients. Where sample quality and quantity permit, Tempus conducts high-quality RNA sequencing on all sequenced samples using its proprietary RNA extraction protocol to complement the molecular information obtained from DNA sequencing.

Through genomic sequencing, Tempus identifies genomic alterations and prioritizes them based on the strength of clinical evidence, thereby establishing links between these alterations and corresponding treatment regimens.

Tempus will use the proceeds from its fundraising to expand its operational scale and extend its business into new areas of precision medicine. While Tempus initially focused on identifying potential cancer therapies, it has recently broadened its research scope to include diabetes and depression.

“Since its inception, Tempus has been dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients,” said Eric Lefkofsky, Founder and CEO of Tempus. “We derive insights by analyzing real-world clinical evidence linked to molecular data, thereby supporting stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem. We remain committed to fulfilling the promise of precision medicine to enhance patient care.”

Baillie Gifford, founded in Edinburgh in 1908, is an independent investment management firm. Owned and operated by 39 senior partners, the company specializes in asset management and financial services.

Franklin Templeton Investments is a global investment management firm with offices in 35 countries. The company specializes in conservatively managed mutual funds and is renowned for offering bond funds under the Franklin brand, international funds under the Templeton brand, and value-oriented funds under the Mutual Series brand.

NEA was founded in Georgia, USA, in 1997. Serving 55,000 dental practices across the United States, NEA is the largest and most widely used provider of electronic claim attachments and health information exchange in the dental industry, offering the most comprehensive network for all-electronic payer and partner communications.

Novo Holdings is headquartered in Sweden. Since 1999, Novo Holdings has established multiple recognized operations across Europe and Asia, primarily investing in information technology companies.

T. Rowe Price is a venture capital firm focused on investing in technology startups. Founded by Thomas Rowe Price Jr. in 1937, the company offers investment strategies including debt, equity, and private equity to individuals, financial intermediaries, and institutions.

(Compiled by: Li Chengping)