Multus Biotechnology Company Profile

Background

Founded in 2019, Multus Biotechnology is a UK-based company specializing in the development of animal-free growth media solutions for the cultivated meat industry. The company's mission is to reduce the time and cost associated with bringing biomanufactured foods, medicines, and materials to market, thereby accelerating the development of a sustainable bioeconomy. By providing cost-effective and scalable alternatives to traditional animal-derived growth media, Multus aims to make cultivated meat an affordable and sustainable choice for consumers worldwide.

Key Strategic Focus

Multus focuses on creating high-performance, animal-free growth media formulations that enable the scalable production of cultivated meat. The company's core objectives include:

Development of Serum-Free Growth Media: Eliminating the use of fetal bovine serum (FBS) in cell culture to reduce costs and ethical concerns.

Optimization of Growth Factors: Utilizing precision fermentation and computational protein design to produce affordable growth factors essential for cell cultivation.

Scalable Manufacturing: Establishing food-safe manufacturing facilities to support the large-scale production needs of the cultivated meat industry.

By addressing these areas, Multus targets the cultivated meat sector, aiming to facilitate its growth and integration into the mainstream food market.

Financials and Funding

Multus has successfully secured multiple funding rounds to support its growth and development:

Series A Funding (January 2023): Raised $9.5 million, led by Mandi Ventures, with participation from SOSV, Big Idea Ventures, SynBioVen, and Asahi Kasei Corp. This round included a $2.5 million equity-free grant from Innovate UK through the EIC Accelerator. The funds are allocated for building a world-first production plant in the UK to produce affordable, food-safe growth media at a commercial scale.

Seed Funding (July 2021): Raised £1.6 million ($2.2 million) from investors including SOSV, Zero Carbon Capital, Marinya Capital, and angel investors. An equity-free grant of £106,000 was also received from the UK Research and Innovation Council. This funding facilitated the launch of their first product, Proliferum M™, an all-in-one solution to eliminate the use of FBS in cell culture.

Pipeline Development

Multus has developed and launched key products to support the cultivated meat industry:

Proliferum M™: An all-in-one, serum-free growth media designed to replace FBS in cell culture. It supports the growth of muscle, fat, and connective tissue cells from various species, including mammals, birds, and seafood.

Proliferum LSR: A serum-free growth media solution tailored for specific cell types, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional media.

rh-Vitronectin: A recombinant human vitronectin product that supports cell adhesion during the cultivation process, enhancing cell growth and viability.

These products are at various stages of commercialization, with Proliferum M™ already available in the market.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Multus leverages advanced technologies to develop its growth media solutions:

MediOp Platform: A growth media formulation design platform that utilizes data science and automation to screen a library of non-conventional growth media ingredients. This enables the creation of affordable, high-performance growth media formulations.

Precision Fermentation: Employed to produce growth factors and other essential components, ensuring consistency and scalability in production.

Computational Protein Design: Used to engineer growth factors and other proteins, optimizing their performance and reducing production costs.

These proprietary technologies set Multus apart in the industry by providing innovative solutions that address the scalability and cost challenges of cultivated meat production.

Leadership Team

Multus is led by a team of experienced professionals:

Cai Linton: Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Reka Tron: Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer.

Kevin Pan: Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer.

Anirvan Guha: Chief Scientific Officer.

Their combined expertise in biotechnology, engineering, and business development drives the company's mission and strategic initiatives.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The cultivated meat industry is projected to reach $25 billion by 2030, driven by increasing consumer demand for sustainable and ethical food options. Growth media is a critical component in this industry, as it directly impacts production costs and scalability.

Competitor Analysis

Key competitors in the growth media space include:

Future Fields: Develops recombinant protein production systems for growth factors used in cultivated meat.

Tiamat Sciences: Focuses on plant-based production of growth factors and other proteins for cellular agriculture.

ORF Genetics: Produces growth factors using barley plants, offering animal-free alternatives for cell culture.

These companies, like Multus, aim to provide cost-effective and scalable solutions to support the cultivated meat industry's growth.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Multus has established significant partnerships to enhance its capabilities:

New Wave Biotech: In December 2023, Multus partnered with New Wave Biotech, a bioprocess optimization software company, under a project funded through an Innovate UK Engineering Biology grant. This collaboration aims to use AI software to optimize the development of precision-fermented ingredients for cell cultivation.

Quest Meat: In January 2024, Multus partnered with Quest Meat on a £1-million cultivated meat scale-up project to create affordable and sustainable cultivated meat production technology.

These collaborations strengthen Multus's market position and innovation capacity.

Operational Insights

Multus's strategic considerations include:

Supply Chain Coordination: Managing the media supply chain to ensure consistent and efficient delivery, allowing cultivated meat companies to focus on production.

Food-Safe Manufacturing: Operating an FSSC 22000 certified facility to meet international food safety standards, ensuring product quality and regulatory compliance.

Scalability: Providing flexible manufacturing capabilities to support customers at various stages of their scale-up journey, from small quantities to thousands of liters per month.

These operational strategies position Multus as a reliable partner in the cultivated meat industry's supply chain.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

Looking ahead, Multus plans to:

Expand Product Portfolio: Develop growth media solutions tailored for specific cell types and applications, including animal-free dairy and leather.

Enhance Manufacturing Capacity: Increase production capabilities to meet the growing demand for cultivated meat products.

Strengthen Partnerships: Forge additional collaborations with industry stakeholders to drive innovation and market adoption.

By leveraging its technological strengths and strategic initiatives, Multus is well-positioned to contribute significantly to the cultivated meat industry's growth and sustainability.