Muckle advises NunaBio on £6.5 million investment to scale DNA manufacturing platform
We’re pleased to have advised Newcastle-based biotech business NunaBio on a £6.5 million investment round to support the growth of its next-generation DNA manufacturing platform.
The funding will help NunaBio scale its proprietary technology, which is designed to produce high-quality synthetic DNA quickly and at scale. The investment will support the development of the company’s global infrastructure network and help accelerate innovation in areas including vaccines, gene therapies and diagnostics.
Supporting innovation in the North East
NunaBio, a spinout from Newcastle University, is developing a new approach to DNA manufacturing aimed at overcoming some of the biggest challenges facing the biotechnology sector. Its platform is designed to deliver complex synthetic DNA faster and more efficiently than traditional methods.
The investment round was led by Northstar Ventures, with funding provided through the North East Innovation Fund, the North East Spinout Inspire Fund and the Northstar EIS Growth Fund. Additional investment came from a range of UK and US investors, including Maven Capital Partners, HIT Investments and a syndicate of North East angel investors, alongside continued support from existing backers.
Important milestone
The deal marks another important milestone for NunaBio as it continues to expand its technology and commercial reach.
Joe Hedley, CEO and Co-Founder of NunaBio, said: “This investment marks an important step in scaling a fundamentally new approach to DNA manufacturing. Our focus is on enabling DNA that others cannot produce and translating that capability into a robust, industrial platform.
“Our long-term vision is a globally deployable network of DNA micro-foundries—compact, automated production units applying semiconductor-style manufacturing principles to biology. By standardising and modularising production, we can deliver scalable, high-performance DNA manufacturing without the constraints of traditional approaches.”
Alex Buchan, Investment Director at Northstar Ventures, said: “NunaBio is developing a highly differentiated approach to DNA manufacturing with significant potential across a range of high-growth applications. We identified NunaBio’s potential to transform industry economics from early on. We are pleased to support the company as it scales its technology and commercial reach.”
Advising on the deal
We advised NunaBio throughout the transaction, with legal support provided by Adam Rayner, partner in the corporate team, and Olivia Tindle, associate in the corporate team.
Adam said: “We have worked with NunaBio since 2023 and have a great relationship with its founder, Joe Hedley. It’s been a pleasure to see the business grow over that time and to be able to play a small part in helping it receive this latest funding round to allow it to continue to do the great work it does.”
Joe Hedley said: “Adam and the Muckle team were pragmatic, responsive and commercial throughout. They helped keep the process moving and get the deal over the line.”
For more information, please contact Adam at [email protected] or by calling 0191 211 7962.