- Funding provides Bactolife with sufficient capital to commercialise its proprietary Binding Proteins and further strengthen its technology platform
- Financing was led by ATHOS, with participation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and existing investors, incl. Novo Holdings, making it one of the largest bioindustrial Series A funding rounds in Europe
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, 08 August, 2023 – Bactolife A/S (“Bactolife”), a bioindustrial company developing proprietary Binding Proteins, which support the gut microbiome of humans and animals with the aim of promoting gut health, today announced that it has successfully raised EUR >30 million since its April 2021 seed round.
The financing round is led by ATHOS with participation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and existing investors, including Novo Holdings. Proceeds from the financing will enable Bactolife to advance its most mature projects towards commercial launch and strengthen the technology platform and upscaling capabilities. By doing so, the company aims to retain its first-mover advantage in transforming gut health with target-specific Binding Proteins.
Sebastian Søderberg, CEO of Bactolife said: “We are very pleased and humbled by the continued confidence that investors have shown us, especially in times of geopolitical uncertainty and market turmoil. The funding allows us to increase our investments in our project pipeline, technology platform, organization, and upscaling capabilities. Furthermore, it will enable Bactolife to accelerate our partnering efforts with world-leading companies and commercialize our first product concepts for humans and animals.”
Globally, there are more than 1.6 billion cases of gastrointestinal challenges annually, which at best result in discomfort and at worst can have severe consequences. Annual healthcare costs are increasing, and there are limited options to address these challenges proactively. It is estimated that 760,000 children die annually due to gut health complications, and those who survive may experience long-term impacts on growth and overall health. Today, many cases are treated with antibiotics that are either highly expensive or contribute to broader resistance issues. Bactolife takes a unique approach to supporting gut health by developing Binding Proteins that help reduce risks associated with gut imbalances, keeping everyone healthier at an affordable price point.
Aleks Engel, Partner, Novo Holdings, said: “The successful Series A is another validation of Bactolife’s impressive achievements and opportunity for the future. Bactolife is a great example of the strong Danish biotech ecosystem, as its technology platform originates from a Danish University, and was then further enabled by pioneering Danish biotech companies and talents. This bodes well for the future of not only Bactolife, but the Danish biotech sector as a whole. Further, I am very pleased that the international investors share our enthusiasm for finding solutions that support global gut health and the global AMR crisis.”
Enquiries
For more information please contact:
Bactolife A/S
Sebastian Søderberg, CEO
+4553797959
About Bactolife A/S
Bactolife is a Danish industrial biotech company with approximately 40 employees. Using its proprietary Binding Protein technology, Bactolife develops innovative ingredients that support gut health and address challenges in maintaining microbial balance. Its unique platform enables the selection and production of Binding Proteins that help promote a healthier gastrointestinal environment.
The company focuses on creating ingredients tailored to the needs of diverse groups, including mothers and children, the elderly, individuals with specific nutritional needs, travelers, and applications in animal health. Bactolife has achieved proof of concept (PoC) for its technology, demonstrated through testing its most advanced animal health product in more than 6,000 piglets, showcasing its potential to stabilize gut function during critical growth stages.
Bactolife is supported by renowned global investors and partners, reflecting strong confidence in its mission to pioneer new solutions for gut health through sustainable and accessible innovations.
Binding Proteins are milk-inspired proteins designed to help create balance in the gastrointestinal system. These proteins are produced at scale using advanced biomanufacturing processes, ensuring they can be seamlessly incorporated into regular diets. By combining precision gut microbiome science with accessible food and feed product applications, Binding Proteins represent a transformative approach to gut health.
About ATHOS
ATHOS is a Munich based single family office. ATHOS with its heritage in healthcare and life sciences invests in teams with exceptional science expertise, and technology-driven companies with an entrepreneurial and value-based approach.
About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees.
About Novo Holdings A/S
Novo Holdings is a holding and investment company that is responsible for managing the assets and the wealth of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The purpose of Novo Holdings is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet by generating attractive long-term returns on the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Novo Holdings is the controlling shareholder of Novo Nordisk A/S and Novozymes A/S and manages an investment portfolio with a long-term return perspective. In addition to managing a broad portfolio of equities, bonds, real estate, infrastructure and private equity assets, Novo Holdings is a world-leading life sciences investor. Through its Seeds, Venture, Growth, and Principal Investments teams, Novo Holdings invests in life science companies at all stages of development. As of year-end 2022, Novo Holdings had total assets of EUR 108 billion.
About the Novo Nordisk Foundation
Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet. The Foundation’s mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society.www.novonordiskfonden.dk/en
