Chicago-based Syntax Bio has closed an expanded Series A totaling USD 14.4 million, bringing total funding to more than USD 25 million, as the synthetic biology company advances its CRISPR-based Cellgorithm platform and a pancreatic beta cell therapy program targeting type 1 diabetes.
The expanded round drew support from a broad syndicate of new and returning investors. Existing backers Astellas Venture Management, Illumina Ventures, DCVC Bio, Civilization Ventures, EGB Capital, Mansueto Office, and Portal Innovations were joined by new participants including Draper Associates, Allegis Capital, LongGame, Mayo Clinic, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Ventures, Exit Fund, Sigma Group, and Walder Ventures. The company said proceeds will fund further development of the Cellgorithm platform and advance its pancreatic beta cell therapy through pre-clinical proof-of-concept. No prior funding rounds were disclosed beyond the total cumulative figure.
Syntax Bio's Cellgorithm platform uses a CRISPR-based system to program and accelerate stem cell differentiation, replacing labor-intensive manual differentiation protocols with a rapid, programmable approach intended to mimic endogenous human developmental signaling. The company said the technology enables more reliable and scalable generation of functional cell populations. Peer-reviewed research describing the platform has been published in Science Advances, and the company recently announced a research collaboration with Mayo Clinic and received a grant from Breakthrough T1D to support its type 1 diabetes program.
The lead asset is a pancreatic beta cell therapy for type 1 diabetes, currently in pre-clinical development. Beta cell replacement has long been pursued as a potential functional cure for type 1 diabetes, but the field has faced persistent challenges in generating sufficient quantities of functional, glucose-responsive beta cells at scale — the precise bottleneck Syntax Bio's platform is designed to address. The company said its next milestone is pre-clinical proof-of-concept for this program.
Alongside the financing, Syntax Bio announced several leadership changes. Co-founder Ryan Clarke, Ph.D., has transitioned from chief technology officer to chief scientific officer, while co-founder Nikolas Balanis, Ph.D., has been elevated to chief technology officer, taking responsibility for the company's synthetic biology platform and AI-driven computational biology capabilities. Both report to John Craighead, Ph.D., who joined as chief executive officer in 2025. Co-founder Brad Merrill, Ph.D., remains with the company.