Vedanta Biosciences Secures $45.5 Million Series C Financing to Advance Bacterial Consortia-Based Immunotherapies

VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) learned from foreign media that on May 13, U.S. local time, biotechnology company Vedanta Biosciences completed a $45.5 million Series C financing round. The funds from this round will be used to develop microbiome-modulating therapeutics to help patients with immune deficiencies treat their diseases.

It is reported that this round of financing was jointly invested by JSR Corporation, Shumway Capital, and Partners Investment.

Vedanta Biosciences, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, specializes in the research and development of bacterial consortium therapeutics to help patients treat diseases. The company’s current main products are VE303, VE202, VE800, and VE416, which are used to treat Clostridioides difficile infection, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and food allergies, respectively. Their common feature is that they treat human diseases by directly acting on the human microbiome.

Gut microbiota are essential for stimulating a range of immune responses, making them a promising target for immunotherapy. Vedanta Biosciences’ VE series of therapeutics can be administered orally to deliver bacterial consortia into the human gastrointestinal tract, where they colonize. These bacterial consortia modulate the composition of the gut microbiome and provide colonization resistance against enteric pathogens.

The therapeutic modalities of such drugs are categorized into three types: (1) Modulating the human immune system: These drugs can be used to regulate the levels of biological hormones in the body, thereby maintaining overall health; (2) Treating immune system disorders: When the human immune system malfunctions, pharmacological intervention is required to restore health. Such drugs are suitable for individuals with congenital immune deficiencies; (3) Enhancing the human immune response: Even when the immune system is generally functioning normally, individuals may still contract diseases due to the continuous evolution of viruses, which may evade existing immune defenses. Drugs developed by Vedanta Biosciences can help bolster the body’s immune strength and prevent novel diseases.

Bernat Olle, co-founder and CEO of Vedanta Biosciences, stated, “We are grateful for the support from our investors. The proceeds from this financing round will support our continued development of therapeutic drugs. Bacterial consortia have long been a focal point of industry research, and we aim to directly apply them to the treatment of human diseases. This represents a breakthrough endeavor, and we look forward to collaborating with new investors to jointly advance the research of this technology.”

JSR Corporation, established in 1957 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a venture capital firm that has completed seven investments to date. The firm primarily invests in startups operating in the fields of fine chemicals, petrochemicals, and biosciences, with its main investment geographic focus being Asia, the United States, and Belgium.

Shumway Capital, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Connecticut, USA, is a venture capital fund that has completed seven investments to date.

Partners Investment, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, is a venture capital firm that has completed 12 investments to date.

(Compiled by Liu Yujing)