bit.bio, a Cambridge-based biotechnology company specialising in programmable human cells, has raised $50 million in a Series C financing round led by M&G Investments.
The new capital will be used to accelerate product development, broaden global market access, strengthen manufacturing capabilities, and expand into new application areas including toxicology. The company also plans to generate large-scale, high-quality datasets to support AI-driven model development.
Scaling human-relevant cells for research and safety testing
bit.bio focuses on making consistent, human-relevant cells available at industrial scale for research, drug discovery, and preclinical safety testing. By replacing variable and hard-to-reproduce biological models, the company aims to improve the reliability and predictiveness of early-stage drug development while reducing reliance on animal testing.
According to CEO Przemek Obloj, access to standardized human cells enables faster and more accurate decision-making across discovery and safety workflows, from computational model training to in vitro testing.
The funding supports bit.bio’s ambition to build an integrated platform spanning in silico, in vitro, and safety applications.
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Cell programming powered by AI and synthetic biology
At the core of bit.bio’s platform is a discovery engine that uses AI to identify combinations of transcription factors capable of programming specific human cell types. These instructions are applied using the company’s proprietary opti-ox technology, which converts induced pluripotent stem cells into highly pure, functional cell populations.
This approach enables consistent production of human cells at scale, supporting both research reproducibility and commercial deployment across pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers.
The platform is designed to support New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), aligning with regulatory and industry efforts to modernise preclinical testing.
Investor confidence in UK life sciences innovation
M&G described the investment as a long-term commitment to UK-based innovation and the future of drug development. bit.bio originated as a spin-out from the University of Cambridge and has since built a growing international presence.
The company is positioning itself as a foundational infrastructure provider for the life sciences sector, enabling more predictive research models and scalable cell supply.
Lord David Prior, Chair at bit.bio, noted that the company’s next phase will focus on translating its technical leadership into sustained commercial growth and deeper partnerships across pharma, biotech, and research organisations.
Growing product portfolio and global reach
bit.bio’s ioCells portfolio now includes more than 50 cell products, covering wild-type cells, disease models, CRISPR-ready cells, and tracking-enabled lines. These products are used across discovery, screening, and validation workflows.
With its Series C funding secured, bit.bio plans to expand internationally, deepen customer adoption, and continue developing programmable human cell models that support faster, safer, and more cost-effective drug development.
About bit.bio
bit.bio is a human synthetic biology company founded in 2016 that develops programmable human cells for research, drug discovery, and safety testing. By combining AI-driven discovery with scalable cell engineering, the company aims to improve the relevance of preclinical research and help transform how new medicines are developed.
