bit.bio expands cell-programming human cell manufacturing for toxicology to replace animal testing
This article covers bit.bio, a biotech startup, closing a ÂŁ40m series C funding round to accelerate commercial deployment of its human cell programming platform. The development aims to support drug discovery and pre-clinical safety testing by scaling production of reproducible human cell products and reducing reliance on animal models.
bit.bio has closed a £40 million series C funding round to accelerate commercial deployment of its human cell programming platform. The Cambridge company says the capital will speed product development, expand manufacturing and enter the toxicology market — moves that, if realised, could shift parts of pre-clinical drug testing from animal models to human‑relevant alternatives.
Why it matters
The funding arrives as pharmaceutical and biotech companies push for more predictive pre-clinical models. bit.bio’s work on generating consistent human cell types aims to reduce reliance on animal testing and improve the relevance of early-stage safety and efficacy data. That matters for drug developers seeking better translational fidelity and for regulators and companies exploring New Approach Methodologies, or NAMs.
The round also signals sustained institutional interest in UK life sciences companies that combine wet lab capabilities with data and computational workflows, particularly where those datasets can be used to train AI models for discovery and safety assessment.
Inside the product
bit.bio manufactures ioCells, its off‑the‑shelf human cell products used by pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms and academic institutions. The company’s platform centres on cell programming techniques that aim to produce defined, reproducible human cell types at scale — a technical response to variability in primary cells and induced pluripotent stem cell workflows.
The startup says the proceeds will be used to scale manufacturing, broaden product availability for drug discovery and toxicology, and build industry‑leading datasets for AI model training. Entering the toxicology market would position bit.bio in a multi‑billion pound segment focused on safety testing, where demand for human‑relevant models has been rising.
Who are the investors?
The series C is led by M&G Investments. The lead investor positions the deal as patient, long‑term capital aimed at supporting commercialisation and international expansion.
In the announcement, Cornel Chiriac, Investor at M&G Investments, said:
The investment of patient capital into a fast-growing private UK company, spun out from the University of Cambridge, marks a major vote of confidence in innovation and the future of drug development in the UK. bit.bio’s platform makes cell programming reliable, scalable, and commercially ready in a rapidly evolving field. As a long-term investor, M&G is committed to backing the next generation of UK businesses and driving economic progress. With a growing global footprint, bit.bio is a UK success story poised for international growth.
The company also confirmed a governance change tied to the round: Lord David Prior joins as an independent director and new Board Chair. His appointment reflects experience in health policy and life sciences leadership.
In the announcement, David Prior, Board Chair at bit.bio, said:
bit.bio’s technology is world class and the opportunity is now converting that advantage into sustained commercial performance. I look forward to supporting the team as it expands its customer reach and becomes a key partner for pharmaceutical, biotech and research organisations worldwide.
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Founder perspective
In the announcement, Przemek Obloj, CEO at bit.bio, said:
By providing reliable human cells for research and safety testing, we’re helping to accelerate drug development and build a world class life sciences business in the UK. Our technology reduces reliance on animal testing while improving the relevance and accuracy of pre-clinical research. With fresh backing from M&G and our wider investor base, we can accelerate development, from in silico model training through our most established in vitro discovery models and towards safety testing.
Obloj’s comment emphasises commercialisation and the company’s intent to link in vitro products with computational workflows, a combination investors often view as more defensible than wet lab tools alone.
The bigger picture
This deal sits within a broader flow of capital into UK life sciences, where investors are increasingly focused on companies that can deliver reproducible biology at scale and generate valuable datasets. For the toxicology and safety testing markets, human‑derived cell products and NAMs are becoming strategic alternatives as regulatory frameworks evolve and as companies seek to lower late‑stage attrition.
The funding also underlines how institutional, patient capital is being deployed to bridge the gap between academic spinouts and commercial suppliers of biological reagents.
bit.bio’s fundraising and governance changes highlight Cambridge’s ongoing role as a hub for biotech innovation. The outcome will be watched across the UK and Europe as regulators, pharma and investors continue to adapt to a future in which human‑relevant models and data play a larger role in drug development.
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