Country for PR: United States
Contributor: PR Newswire New York
Wednesday, April 21 2021 - 22:00
AsiaNet
Seed Health Closes $40 Million in Series A Financing to Launch New Categories, Accelerate Global Distribution and Expand Clinical Research
LOS ANGELES, April 21, 2021 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

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 ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3142241257&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecraftory.io%2F&a=The+Craftory 
), alongside TechBio investor ARTIS Ventures ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=4161286406&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.av.co%2F&a=ARTIS+Ventures 
) and life science investor GISEV ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=1897457165&u=http%3A%2F%2Fgisev-fo.net%2Fen%2Fhome&a=GISEV 
), with participation from existing investors, Founders Fund ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3691783854&u=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersfund.com%2F&a=Founders+Fund 
) and 8VC ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=1929401744&u=https%3A%2F%2F8vc.com%2F&a=8VC 
). 

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1492649/Bacteria.jpg 
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1492777/SeedHealth_Green_Logo.jpg
 
This funding will support the Company's rapid growth and power upcoming 
category launches, clinical research, digital health initiatives ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=237150471&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prnewswire.com%2Fil%2Fnews-releases%2Fseed-health-announces-acquisition-of-digital-health-company-auggi-870093183.html&a=digital+health+initiatives 
), microbial stabilization technologies, and international expansion.

"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," said Ara Katz, Seed Health co-founder and co-CEO. 

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.

"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," said Raja Dhir, Seed Health co-founder and co-CEO. "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."   

Seed Health Expands Clinical Roadmap

Seed Health's flagship DS-01(TM), 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 ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=1742663394&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prnewswire.com%2Fnews-releases%2Ffda-authorizes-new-ind-to-evaluate-impact-of-multi-strain-probiotic-ds-01-on-gut-microbiota-of-patients-with-ibs-301139955.html&a=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 the Company's interventions and 
characterizing distinct microbiomes on and within the human body.

"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," said Ernesto Schmitt, Craftory co-founder. "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."

Beyond the consumer health roadmap, Seed Health'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 ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=1399356526&u=https%3A%2F%2Fluca.bio%2FJACQUES-RAVEL&a=Dr.+Jacques+Ravel 
), in partnership with LUCA Biologics ( https://luca.bio/ ). 

"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's 'Best Inventions ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=375090633&u=http%3A%2F%2Ftime.com%2Fcollection%2Fbest-inventions-2018%2F5454857%2Fhoney-bee-probiotic%2F&a=%C2%A0%27Best+Inventions 
),' Fast Company's 'World Changing Ideas' ( 
https://www.fastcompany.com/90226893/these-probiotics-for-bees-are-designed-to-boost-insect-immune-systems 
). 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, PhD, SeedLabs Advisor and Head of Synthetic Biology at 
Harvard Wyss Institute.

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
GZA, The Spark(1)

About Seed Health
Seed Health is a microbial sciences company pioneering applications of microbes 
for human and planetary health. In collaboration with leading academic 
researchers, we advance breakthrough discoveries in microbial science across a 
pipeline of novel therapeutics, consumer health innovations and environmental 
solutions. All consumer innovations in probiotics are commercialized under 
Seed(R). seedhealth.com ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=2251375606&u=http%3A%2F%2Fseedhealth.com%2F&a=seedhealth.com 
) / seed.com ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=2130604341&u=http%3A%2F%2Fseed.com%2F&a=seed.com 
) 

Scientific Board
Seed Health Scientific Board includes James Versalovic, MD, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=1597364411&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bcm.edu%2Fpeople-search%2Fjames-versalovic-32418&a=James+Versalovic%2C+MD%2C+PhD 
), Jacques Ravel, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=277422309&u=https%3A%2F%2Fluca.bio%2FJACQUES-RAVEL&a=Jacques+Ravel%2C+PhD 
), Sarkis Mazmanian, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=2454460210&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbe.caltech.edu%2Fpeople%2Fsarkis-mazmanian&a=Sarkis+Mazmanian%2C+PhD 
), Kari Nadeau, MD, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3326694620&u=https%3A%2F%2Fprofiles.stanford.edu%2Fkari-nadeau&a=Kari+Nadeau%2C+MD%2C+PhD 
), Martin Blaser, MD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=2198690762&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcabm.rutgers.edu%2Fperson%2Fmartin-j-blaser&a=Martin+Blaser%2C+MD 
), George Church, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=61981852&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwyss.harvard.edu%2Fteam%2Fcore-faculty%2Fgeorge-church%2F&a=George+Church%2C+PhD 
), Maurizio Fava, MD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3393524241&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dfhcc.harvard.edu%2Finsider%2Fmember-detail%2Fmember%2Fmaurizio-fava-md%2F&a=Maurizio+Fava%2C+MD 
), Gregor Reid, PhD, MBA ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=2355961647&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lawsonresearch.ca%2Fscientist%2Fdr-gregor-reid&a=Gregor+Reid%2C+PhD%2C+MBA 
), Belinda Tan, MD, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=4146831768&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fbelindatanmd%2F&a=Belinda+Tan%2C+MD%2C+PhD 
), Alessio Fasano, MD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=537209790&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.massgeneral.org%2Fdoctors%2F19184%2Falessio-fasano&a=Alessio+Fasano%2C+MD 
), Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=2371950535&u=https%3A%2F%2Fdbm.rutgers.edu%2Fpersonnel%2Fmaria-gloria-dominguez-bello.html&a=Maria+Gloria+Dominguez-Bello%2C+PhD 
), Greg Sieczkiewicz, JD, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3926887143&u=https%3A%2F%2Fluca.bio%2FGREG-SIECZKIEWICZ&a=Greg+Sieczkiewicz%2C+JD%2C+PhD 
), Steve Horvath, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=780418280&u=https%3A%2F%2Fph.ucla.edu%2Ffaculty%2Fhorvath&a=Steve+Horvath%2C+PhD 
), Shruti Naik, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=527918804&u=https%3A%2F%2Fmed.nyu.edu%2Ffaculty%2Fshruti-naik&a=Shruti+Naik%2C+PhD 
), Jan Claesen PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=1198033852&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lerner.ccf.org%2Fcms%2Fclaesen%2F&a=Jan+Claesen+PhD 
), John Ryals, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3980176484&u=https%3A%2F%2Fpast.pmwcintl.com%2Fjohn-ryals%2F&a=John+Ryals%2C+PhD 
), Azza Gadir, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=2836429280&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fazza-a-gadir-phd-32a7592a%2F&a=Azza+Gadir%2C+PhD 
), Nini Tran, DDS, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=4271549428&u=https%3A%2F%2Fdentistry.ucla.edu%2Fprofile%2Ftran-nini&a=Nini+Tran%2C+DDS%2C+PhD 
), Joseph Petrosino, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3168060169&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bcm.edu%2Fpeople-search%2Fjoseph-petrosino-28634&a=Joseph+Petrosino%2C+PhD 
), and Janet Jansson, PhD ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3935072273&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pnnl.gov%2Fpeople%2Fjanet-jansson&a=Janet+Jansson%2C+PhD 
).

(1)The Spark, by GZA ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3136359-1&h=3792848179&u=https%3A%2F%2Fgenius.com%2FGza-the-spark-lyrics&a=The+Spark%2C+by+GZA 
)

Postscript
Anthropogenic climate change is real. 

Media Inquiries
media@seedhealth.com

Source - Seed Health