Deimena Drasutyte
Helping animal-pharma manufacture advanced therapeutics affordably, so treatments once too costly to produce can finally reach the market.
Project
HERlab
URL
Year founded
2022
Business stage
Seed
High-growth sectors
Life Sciences
Sector
Biotechnology
Location
South West
Funding
Funded Award Winner
The problem and opportunity
Precision biologic medicines transformed human healthcare but barely reach pets: over 160 antibody drugs are approved for people, but only five for cats and dogs. Millions of UK animals live with chronic conditions (arthritis, allergies, cancer, kidney disease etc) with no treatment. The barrier isn’t biology; it’s cost. Made using expensive methods borrowed from human pharma, a lot of promising animal treatments stall before ever reaching a vet.
The solution and innovation
Instead of the costly cell systems inherited, HERlab enables the manufacture of animal therapeutics in yeast – cutting cost and complexity without compromising quality or safety. Our AI tool has studied 1,200+ yeast species to find those best suited to each drug production, turning billions of years of evolution into a manufacturing advantage. We’re already validating this with top veterinary pharma companies and innovators.
Market and ambition
We focus on the veterinary antibody market, which is young and small ($1.5bn) but set to grow to $6-10bn by 2035. Two top-20 global vet-pharma companies are validating our technology. We are backed by 6 Innovate UK grants. Over three years we aim to prove the platform across diseases and become essential to major vet-pharma.
Founder perspective
A mathematician who built and sold her first company, Deimena Drasutyte entered biotech as an outsider, questioning the status quo and seeing a real opportunity in AI x microbial diversity. She founded HERlab to pursue it, excited by its promise for animal health.
Women in Innovation Award
Recipient of an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award 2025/26, receiving funding, tailored business support, and access to specialist training and networks. View all winners and highly commended applicants from the Women in Innovation cohort 2025/2026.