Constructive Bio raises fresh investment from LongeVC
Constructive Bio is pioneering genome writing and genetic code reprogramming, creating entirely new classes of biomolecules with applications in therapeutics, biomaterials, and sustainable manufacturing.
Its platform enables precise control over the genetic blueprint of living cells, unlocking innovations from virus-resistant biofactories to next-generation protein engineering. The rationale is that cells have the potential to do far more than nature originally designed them for.
Constructive Bio raised $58m in Series A round in November. LongeVC is a new backer. Led by CEO Ola Wlodek, and Professor Jason Chin, the company builds on decades of research from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology to push synthetic biology beyond its current limits.
LongeVC says it is “looking forward to supporting the company’s journey as it develops scalable solutions for the next generation of therapeutics and bio-based materials.”
Last month, Constructive Bio was awarded a significant grant from Innovate UK to transform the manufacturing of therapeutic peptides like semaglutide and tirzepatide. The £1.1 million initiative was supported by Innovate UK funding as part of the Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation: Collaborative R & D competition.
The collaboration saw Constructive Bio team up with scale-up experts at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI). Constructive Bio operates at the cutting edge of biotechnology, leveraging its groundbreaking cellular biofactories to meet the surging global demand for blockbuster weight loss and diabetes treatments and delivering precision-engineered, high-value peptides at an unprecedented scale.
Therapeutic peptides like semaglutide and tirzepatide, GLP-1 agonists marketed under brand names such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro and Zepbound, have rapidly grown in popularity due to their versatile applications and efficacy against conditions such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Demand for these therapies is surging, with the GLP-1 market alone projected to reach $100 billion annually by 2030. This trend has already led to a significant shortage of semaglutide and tirzepatide in the global supply chain.
The current leading therapeutic peptide manufacturing method, known as solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) relies on resource-intensive chemical synthesis processes to incorporate non-natural amino acids and related chemistries and generates significant harmful chemical waste.
Recent analysis estimates that this method generates a staggering 13 tonnes of waste for every kilogram of the active ingredient. Constructive Bio’s platform offers a new biomanufacturing alternative to chemical synthesis, with the potential to shift the existing solvent-reliant process to a more sustainable, primarily aqueous manufacturing route.
Ola Wlodek said: “This project demonstrates a compelling application of our technology. At Constructive Bio we can engineer peptides with highly complex building blocks using living organisms in bioprocesses.
“By bridging the gap between chemistry and biology we deliver a green, scalable, and sustainable approach to pharmaceutical manufacturing—powered by cutting-edge science.”
