Sift uses an AI‑driven platform that combines metagenomic analysis of microbial genomes with high‑throughput T‑cell screening to discover peptide, mRNA, and DNA modulators derived from bacteria and viruses.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Current immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases often rely on broad immune activation or suppression, leading to limited efficacy, safety concerns, and lack of durable disease control. Many patients do not respond because existing treatments cannot specifically harness pre-existing antimicrobial memory T cells to target disease-relevant antigens.
Solution
Sift has built the SIFT™ Platform, an AI‑driven discovery engine that integrates metagenomic sequencing of microbial genomes with high‑throughput T‑cell screening. The platform identifies peptide, mRNA, and DNA molecules derived from bacteria and viruses that can selectively activate subsets of pre‑existing memory T cells. These modulators are designed to redirect the activated T cells against specific cancer or autoimmune disease targets, aiming to restore immune balance and achieve long‑lasting therapeutic effects. By focusing on naturally occurring immune memory, Sift’s approach seeks to provide more precise, effective, and safer immunotherapies where conventional options fall short.
Target Audience
Primary customers are biopharmaceutical companies and research organizations developing next‑generation immunotherapies for oncology and autoimmune diseases.
Features
- AI-powered analysis of large microbial genome datasets to predict candidate immunomodulatory molecules
- High‑throughput cellular screening pipeline that tests peptide, mRNA, and DNA candidates for activation of distinct memory T‑cell subsets
- Ability to generate T‑cell modulators that can be tailored to oncology or autoimmunity indications
- Platform outputs include defined molecular formats (peptide, mRNA, DNA) ready for downstream therapeutic development
- Focus on leveraging pre‑existing antimicrobial memory to achieve durable disease control with reduced off‑target effects