Antheia Raises $56M Series C to Scale Biosynthetic Drug Ingredient Production, Expands to Asia

Menlo Park–based biomanufacturing company Antheia, founded in 2015 by Dr. Christina Smolke and Dr. Kristy Hawkins, announced a $56 million Series C funding round led by Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC) and EDBI. The financing will support commercialization of its first biosynthetic product, thebaine—a key input in naloxone (Narcan)—and help advance additional candidates from its 70+ compound pipeline spanning neurology, oncology, gastrointestinal, respiratory, hematology, endocrinology, and anti-infectives. Several programs—including oripavine, scopolamine, and multiple oncology candidates—are in pre-commercial development, with others in R&D and pilot stages.

Antheia produces key starting materials (KSMs) and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for essential medicines using a synthetic biology platform that integrates genomics, informatics, and fermentation. Unlike traditional agricultural extraction methods, Antheia aims for a more controlled, scalable, and reliable production. The company reports operating at 116,000-liter production scale and engineering biosynthetic pathways with 25–30 enzymes per compound. Its focus aligns with more than half the medicines listed on the U.S. FDA Essential Medicines List, targeting supply chain resilience for critical drugs.

Antheia Biology Lab; Source: Antheia

Proceeds will also enable the activation of Antheia’s U.S. manufacturing operations and fund its expansion into Singapore and broader Asian markets. Early-stage investment into new innovation programs is also planned. The funding comes amid continued global drug shortages, which the company attributes to increasingly fragile supply chains driven by climate disruption, geopolitical volatility, and logistical bottlenecks.

Joseph Lee, Principal at GHIC, described drug shortages as "an urgent health security challenge", citing Antheia’s biosynthesis platform as a "transformative and elegant solution" for more efficient, scalable, and reliable production of KSMs and APIs. Paul Ng, CEO of EDBI, emphasized the opportunity for Antheia to expand through collaborations with Singapore’s scientific institutions, including A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), noting that the country’s biotech infrastructure offers valuable synergies for Antheia’s expansion into Asia.

New investors ATHOS KG and Federov also joined the round, alongside returning backers Viking Global Investors, Sherpalo Ventures, S-Cubed Capital, In-Q-Tel, and Civilization Ventures. The announcement follows Antheia’s first commercial delivery of thebaine and two U.S. government awards valued at up to $23 million to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Topics: Startups & Deals