The animal health and nutrition industry is evolving, and the tools for improving animal health and nutrition are growing more quickly with Ascus Biosciences.
Ascus uses its proprietary technology platform to resolve the complexities in the native microbial communities living in highly productive and healthy animals. From these curated insights, efficacious native microorganisms are selected and isolated from animal samples and developed into products. These novel, multi-strain and naturally occurring whole microbe products are shelf stabilized and compatible with standard in-feed delivery systems. This method is the first of its kind in the animal health and nutrition industry, where most microbial products on the market are not developed based on a comprehensive understanding of animal microbiomes.
The funding was led by global investment company Temasek, with participation from other leading investors, Anterra Capital, Formation 8 and Cavallo Ventures (the venture capital arm of Wilbur-Ellis), and additional support from various angel investors.
“Animals are an increasingly large part of our economy and food supply, yet the majority of the existing feed additives are at least 50 years old,” says Jim Kim, founder and general partner, Formation 8. “Using modern science as a way to better understand animal health and nutrition is both better for the world’s food supply and works in harmony with animal welfare.”
With $46 million secured in its Series B fund-raise, Ascus is well positioned to continue expanding its customer sales and servicing teams, advance new and existing products in its product pipeline and continue refining its core technology platform and intellectual property foundation.
“Securing this level of funding will help bring Ascus technology to farmers and pet owners seeking newer, safer and more effective microbial solutions at a much larger scale as we continue to grow our sales and customer services footprint in the USA and the world,” says Michael Seely, chief executive officer of Ascus Biosciences. “With this financing round, we are now well-equipped to expand and serve our existing and prospective customers while we continue to progress the breakthrough products currently in our research and development pipeline.”
Ascus has multiple microbial solutions in development, with some already in sales mode from dairy, poultry, beef feedlot, equine, to companion species.
