WELCOME TO THE EVOLUTION OF PROBIOTICS
THE CRAFTORY LEADS $40M SERIES A IN SEED HEALTH, DEVELOPERS OF CLINICALLY-STUDIED PROBIOTICS DESIGNED TO POSITIVELY IMPACT HUMAN AND PLANETARY HEALTH.
LOS ANGELES, April 2021—Seed Health, a microbial sciences company developing next-generation probiotic applications and live biotherapeutics, today announced the close of a $40 million Series A financing led by impact investor, The Craftory, alongside TechBio investor Artis Ventures, life science investor GISEV with participation from existing investors, Founders Fund and 8VC.
This funding will support the company’s rapid growth and power upcoming category launches, clinical research, digital health initiatives, microbial stabilization technologies, and international expansion.
With the company’s Scientific Board of leading microbiome researchers, clinicians and academic partners, Seed Health has assembled an Intellectual Property estate and Master Cell Bank (MCB) with microbial applications across gastroenterology, dermatology, oral hygiene, pediatrics, women’s health, and nutrition.
SEED HEALTH EXPANDS CLINICAL ROADMAP
Their flagship DS-01™, a 24 strain broad spectrum probiotic, recently received IND authorization for a clinical trial in IBS patients with Dr. Anthony Lembo at Harvard Medical School. It is also under study in four additional clinical trials to evaluate efficacy in endpoints related to constipation, post-alcohol gut microbiota restoration, urolithin production, and recovery after broad-spectrum antibiotics.
The clinical pipeline includes a slate of randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trials evaluating their interventions and characterizing distinct microbiomes on and within the human body.
Beyond the consumer health roadmap, the Company’s first live biotherapeutic will enter FDA and EMA (European Medicines Agency) trials this year for recurrent Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) with renowned vaginal microbiome researcher, Dr. Jacques Ravel, in partnership with LUCA Biologics.
“We are incredibly impressed with Seed Health’s decentralized model in microbiome, which enables them to efficiently advance breakthrough research from discovery to development, validation, clinical research, and scale up. Their combination of scientific rigor, human-centered design and omni-channel expertise, uniquely positions them in the fast-growing global field of probiotics and live biotherapeutics,” stated Artis Ventures’ Managing Partner, Stuart Peterson.
ESTABLISHES SEEDLABS TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Beyond human health, the company established SeedLabs to develop microbial applications for pressing ecological and environmental challenges. The first innovation was a probiotic for honey bees (Time Best Inventions, FastCompany World Changing Ideas). The next initiatives will focus on coral regeneration, biomaterial development and space and will be announced later this year.
“I am inspired by Seed’s bold vision to ferment the future, using microbes to rethink health.” stated George Church, Ph.D., SeedLabs co-director and Lead at Wyss Institute at Harvard University.
The universe in size is hard to fathom
When composed in a region small as a single atom
One billionth the size the point of a pen
Microscopic, on a macro level within
ARA KATZ, SEED HEALTH CO-FOUNDER AND CO-CEO SAID:
“Advances in research reveal the vast potential of microbes to transform how we live and care for ourselves, our children and our environment. We are inspired to steward this next generation of probiotics and microbiome-based innovations that will disrupt and forever change the global categories of health, hygiene, diet and self-care.”
RAJA DHIR, SEED HEALTH CO-FOUNDER AND CO-CEO COMMENTED:
“We are converging advances in sequencing technologies, metabolomics, and functional strain characterization to gain insight into microbial communities and develop interventions that are effective across a heterogeneous population or personalized. These proceeds accelerate our multi-platform, multi-technology approach to efficiently take breakthrough research from discovery to market across ecosystems of the body at various life stages, developmental windows, and health conditions.”
ERNESTO SCHMITT, CO-FOUNDER OF THE CRAFTORY SAID:
“We are inspired to support Seed Health’s bold vision to realize the potential of microbes to impact health, sustain life on our planet and revolutionize how we live. Their commitment to rigor and transparency goes beyond exceptional science and probiotic innovation. They have quickly become industry leaders in their field and stewards of a new standard in science communication and global brand-building in consumer health. Their education and sustainability-first ethos reflects our mission to invest in challenger companies and founders with conviction.”
ABOUT SEED HEALTH
Seed Health is a microbial sciences company pioneering applications of microbes for human and planetary health. In collaboration with leading academic partners, they accelerate breakthrough science into live biotherapeutics and innovations for consumer health. All consumer innovations in probiotics are commercialized under Seed®.
seedhealth.comseed.comSCIENTIFIC BOARD
Seed Health Scientific Board includes James Versalovic, M.D., Ph.D., Jacques Ravel, Ph.D., Sarkis Mazmanian, Ph.D., Kari Nadeau, M.D., Ph.D., Martin Blaser, M.D., George Church, Ph.D., Maurizio Fava, M.D., Gregor Reid, Ph.D., MBA, Belinda Tan, M.D., Ph.D., Alessio Fasano, M.D., Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, Ph.D., Greg Sieczkiewicz, JD, PhD, Steve Horvath, Ph.D., Shruti Naik, Ph.D., Jan Claesen Ph.D., John Ryals, Ph.D., Azza Gadir, Ph.D., Nini Tran, D.D.S., Ph.D., Joseph Petrosino, Ph.D, and Janet Jansson, Ph.D.
ABOUT THE CRAFTORY
We are Cause Capital: Based in London and San Francisco, The Craftory is a $375M global investment house focused exclusively on amplifying the world’s boldest consumer brands. We offer permanent, early stage and growth capital to purpose-driven CPG brands that positively impact the categories they serve, society, and the planet. The Craftory is a proud B-Corp.
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