DNA Script Receives $5.5M in Innovation Grants

DNA Script, a Paris, France-based developer of enzymatic DNA synthesis technology, received $5.5M in in non-dilutive financing.

The European Commission (via Horizon 2020 European Innovation Council program) and Bpifrance (via the Aide au développement de l’innovation and Concours Mondial d’innovation programs) provided the awards, which bring total financing to date to $24M.

The new grants will accelerate the company’s commercialization of its free-of-harsh-chemicals DNA synthesis technology.

As the field of genomics accelerates, innovative genome editing technologies are driving advancements in life sciences research. The market for synthetic nucleic acids has expanded to over $1 billion per year globally, but the demand is not always met. For the past 50 years, synthetic DNA has been manufactured through a complex chemical process with limitations in terms of quality, turn-around time and manufacturing flexibility. In contrast, DNA Script introduces a novel biochemical process for DNA and RNA synthesis based on the use of highly efficient enzymes. This technology mimics the way nature produces genetic code and enables enhanced performance while minimizing the use of harsh chemicals.

Founded in 2014 in Paris by Thomas Ybert, PhD, CEO, DNA Script is a manufacturer of synthetic nucleic acids using an enzymatic technology to accelerate the development of new therapeutics, sustainable chemical production, improved crops and DNA data storage.
In September 2017, the company announced Series A financing of $13m led by Illumina Ventures, with additional investments from M Ventures — the corporate venture arm of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany — and existing investors Sofinnova Partners, Kurma Partners and Idinvest Partners.

FinSMEs

04/04/2018

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