France-based synthetic DNA producer DNA Script grew its series B round to $88.5m today following a $50m extension backed by laboratory equipment producer Agilent Technologies.
Danaher Life Sciences, a subsidiary of technology group Danaher, also contributed, as did M Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of pharmaceutical firm Merck Group, and Illumina Ventures, the investment division of gene sequencing technology producer Illumina.
The round was led by investment firm Casdin Capital. French state-owned investment bank Bpifrance contributed through its Large Venture Fund, while venture capital firm LSP also took part.
Illumina Ventures, M Ventures, Bpifrance, Idinvest Partners, LSP and Kurma Partners had supplied an initial $38.5m series B tranche in May 2019.
Founded in 2014, DNA Script has developed a benchtop enzymatic synthesis instrument called Syntax that enables researchers to synthesise DNA directly in the lab without having to rely on external partners.
The additional capital will allow DNA Script to accelerate technology development and support the commercial launch of Syntax, following initial testing with a select group of partners due to begin in the near future. The money will also help ramp up manufacturing capabilities.
DNA Script previously raised $13.2m in a series A round in 2017 led by Illumina Ventures, with participation from M Ventures, Sofinnova Partners, Kurma Partners and Idinvest Partners.
Sofinnova and Kurma had reportedly already injected an undisclosed amount of seed funding, with DNA Script later identifying Kurma as its first institutional investor that provided money in 2016.
