Twist Bioscience, a US-based DNA manufacturing technology developer backed by genomics technology company llumina, pharmaceutical firm WuXi PharmaTech and biotechnology producer Institut Mérieux, received $33m from undisclosed investors on Monday.
Twist is developing a semiconductor-based process that uses silicon to produce synthetic DNA for eventual use in areas such as personalised medicines and pharmaceuticals, sustainable chemicals and agriculture. It is also working on large-scale data storage technology.
The company has not disclosed the identity of the round’s participants but 28 investors contributed to the round, according to a securities filing.
Emily M. Leproust, Twist Bioscience’s CEO, said: “It is an exciting time to be leading Twist Bioscience as we expand our reach and continue to deliver industry-leading gene volume to our customers, enabling innovative research in multiple market segments.
“We welcome the additional equity capital to further accelerate growth of the core gene synthesis business, as well as pharmaceutical discovery and data storage vertical strategies.”
Twist has now raised $166m in equity financing since it was founded in 2013, including $37m in a 2015 series C round led by Illumina and backed by Fidelity Management and Research, Foresite Capital Management, Tao Invest, Arch Venture Partners, Paladin Capital and entrepreneur Yuri Milner.
The series C investors returned for a $61m series D in January 2016 that included corporate venturing units WuXi Healthcare Ventures and Mérieux Développement, Arch Overage Fund, Cormorant Asset Management and private investor Boris Nikolic.