Paris/ Munich — Casdin Capital, a New York-based investment firm focused on the life sciences and healthcare industry, was advised by Baker McKenzie in leading the oversubscribed $50 million Series B fundraising extension round for DNA Script. — Other investors in the expanded Series B financing round include Danaher Life Sciences, Agilent Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, M. Ventures, LSP Life Science Partners, Bpifrance Large Venture Fund and Illumina Ventures.
Proceeds from the expanded Series B financing round will enable DNA Script to accelerate the development of its enzymatic DNA synthesis (EDS) platform technology — specifically to support the launch of the company’s SYNTAX™ DNA benchtop printer.
“With a cross-border team of specialized lawyers in the field of biotechnology life sciences, we were able to bring the transaction to a swift close together with our client,” commented Berthold Hummel, lead corporate partner in Munich.
Founded in 2011, Casdin Capital, LLC brings deep understanding, expertise and a long-term perspective to financing the next generation of life sciences innovation. Casdin Capital specializes in the firm’s diagnostics and molecular information portfolio and has invested in many of the leading pioneers, including but not limited to Foundation Medicine, Invitae, Adaptive Biotechnologies, Flatiron Health and 23andMe.
DNA Script was founded in Paris in 2014 and is the world leader in the production of de novo synthetic nucleic acids using an enzymatic technology. The company’s goal is to accelerate innovation in life sciences and technology through rapid, affordable and high-quality DNA synthesis. DNA Script’s approach takes advantage of nature’s billions of years of evolution in DNA synthesis to enable genome-scale synthesis.
Baker McKenzie’s Corporate / M&A and Life Sciences team regularly advises large pharmaceutical, financial investor and biotech companies on early stage domestic and international healthcare transactions. Most recently, Baker McKenzie advised BioMedPartners on its EUR 10.7 million Series A equity financing in Tubulis, CureVac on its strategic mRNA technology collaboration with GSK, LSP Life Science Partners on a USD 38.5 million Series B financing in DNA Script, listed 4SC AG in a capital increase and international private placement, Galapagos in its 10-year global research and development collaboration with Gilead, MODAG in a EUR 12 million Series A financing, Hitachi Chemical Company, Tokyo, in its acquisition of German apceth Biopharma, Forbion as lead investor in a EUR 17 mn. Series C equity financing of Omeicos Therapeutics and in a USD 54 million Series A equity financing of Gotham Therapeutics Corporation, Mundipharma in the sale of its Limburg production, CureVac AG in a collaboration with Eli Lilly and Hillhouse Capital as co-investor in the EUR 50 million Series C financing of Hookipa Biotech.
Legal advisor Casdin Capital: Baker McKenzie
Lead Corporate/M&A: Berthold Hummel, Foto (Partner, Munich), Gautier Valdiguié (Associate, Paris)
Other lawyers involved: Corporate/M&A: Matthieu Grollemund (Partner, Paris), Madalina-Georgiana Asandului (Associate, Paris)
Tax: Guillaume Le Camus (Partner, Paris), Robin Gaulier (Senior Associate, Paris)
Employment: Jeremie Paubel (Partner, Paris), Roxane Raissi (Associate, Paris)
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In Germany, around 200 lawyers with proven professional expertise and international experience represent the interests of their clients at the offices in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt/Main and Munich. As one of the leading German law firms, Baker McKenzie advises national and international companies and institutions in all areas of commercial law.