Rapid Micro Biosystems, a US-based manufacturer of microbial detection technology to safeguard quality in pharmaceutical and personal care products, has raised $25m in a series C round featuring pharmaceuticals producer Hepalink USA.
Hepalink USA, a subsidiary of China-based Shenzhen Hepalink Pharmaceutical, was joined by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), Longitude Capital, Quaker Partners, TPG Biotech and TVM Capital, as well as family office Richard K Mellon and Sons.
Rapid Micro’s Growth Direct System technology automatically monitors a pharmaceutical, medical device or personal care product production facility’s environment for sterility, gathering data within hours and alerting staff when it detects contamination.
The company will use the series C funding to support global expansion, and to upgrade its manufacturing capabilities.
Rapid Micro previously secured $32.6m in a 2013 series B round co-led by Longitude Capital and TPG Biotech that also featured KPCB, TVM and Quaker.
KPCB, TVM, Quaker and life sciences venture capital fund Vimac Milestone Medica Fund had already provided $18.6m for a 2009 series A round.
Rapid Micro has also raised a further $18.4m in debt financing and equity funding since 2006, according to regulatory filings.
Shawn Lu, chief financial officer of Hepalink USA, said: “We are eager to be part of an innovative company like Rapid Micro Biosystems that can offer a tangible return on investment through process automation and rapid detection to a vast array of microbial quality control laboratories across industries.”