Grobio
Cambridge, US · Founded 2016 · 1 employees on LinkedIn · 9 known investors
GRObio (GRO Biosciences) develops protein therapeutics using non-standard amino acids (NSAAs) via its GRO platform, aiming to improve protein potency, stability, and function. Its pipeline is built on two NSAA chemistry families—DuraLogic for therapeutic stability and dosing, and ProGly for biologics addressing autoimmune disease and immunogenicity.
Also known as GRO Biosciences · GRO Biosciences Inc. · GRObio
Founders & leadership
Grobio was founded in 2016 by Daniel J Mandell.
Board
Investors · 9
Also in the syndicate · 1
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements$33.3M disclosed across 3 of 5 rounds · 2017–2024
- Undisclosed amountseries ANov 2021Source ↗
▶$27.4MraisedJul 2024 · 13 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Ming FangDirector
- Bruce BeutelDirector
- Dan BeckerDirector
- Tracey LodieExecutive Officer
- Kevin BittermanDirector
- Daniel J MandellExecutive Officer, Director
- Rakhshita DharDirector
- Offering amount
- $60.4M
- Amount sold
- $27.4M
- First sale
- Jul 2024
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$3.7MraisedMar 2019 · 10 investors · BiotechnologyRule 506(b)
- Daniel MandellExecutive Officer, Director
- Geoffrey SmithDirector
- Christopher GreggDirector
- Offering amount
- $3.7M
- Amount sold
- $3.7M
- First sale
- Mar 2019
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2016
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$2.1MraisedSep 2017 · 8 investors · BiotechnologyRule 506(b)
- Daniel J MandellExecutive Officer, Director
- Christopher GreggDirector
- Geoffrey SmithDirector
- Offering amount
- $2.1M
- Amount sold
- $2.1M
- First sale
- Aug 2017
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2016
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026GRO Biosciences Inc. (GRObio) is a biotechnology company developing protein-based therapeutics that incorporate non-standard amino acids (NSAAs). Its GRO platform is described as expanding the amino acid alphabet in order to address intrinsic limitations of protein therapeutics relating to potency, stability and function, and to scale production of NSAA-containing proteins to clinical quantities.
The company's pipeline is organized around two initial families of NSAA chemistries. DuraLogic chemistries target therapeutic stability and dosing schedule, while ProGly chemistries are aimed at biologics that reeducate the immune system to treat autoimmune disease or that remove immunogenic side effects of protein-based therapies. Stated areas of therapeutic interest range from autoimmune diseases to metabolic disorders.
Leadership cited on the company's site includes Daniel J. Mandell, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, and Christopher J. Gregg, PhD, Chief Science Officer.
Founding story
GRO Biosciences was described in 2017 press coverage as a spinout from the laboratory of Harvard Medical School geneticist George Church.
Traction
Disclosed financings comprise a $2.1 million seed round in 2017 and a $25 million Series A in 2021, the latter involving the corporate venture arm Leaps by Bayer.
Latest developments
The most recent development reported on the company site is the November 2021 announcement of a $25 million Series A financing led by Leaps by Bayer and Redmile Group.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
GRObio positions itself as addressing limitations of existing protein therapeutics, and describes its platform as the only system capable of seamlessly scaling production of non-standard amino acid proteins for clinical needs.
Differentiation rests on the use of non-standard amino acids as protein building blocks and on proprietary NSAA chemistry families (DuraLogic and ProGly) applied to stability, dosing and immunogenicity challenges.
Technology
The GRO platform expands the set of amino acids available for protein construction beyond the standard alphabet, enabling therapeutics built with non-standard amino acids. The company states the platform shortens development timelines and is capable of scaling production of NSAA proteins to meet clinical needs. Two NSAA chemistry families underpin the pipeline: DuraLogic, focused on stability and dosing schedule, and ProGly, focused on immune reeducation and reducing immunogenicity of protein therapies.
Go-to-market
Patients with autoimmune diseases and metabolic disorders are the stated end beneficiaries of the company's therapeutic programs.
Geography
The company is located at 700 Main Street North, LabCentral, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
History
The company announced $2.1 million in seed funding co-led by Digitalis Ventures and Innovation Endeavors in September 2017, the same month it was profiled in the Wall Street Journal as a Harvard spinout targeting a large pharmaceutical market. In November 2021 it announced a $25 million Series A financing led by Leaps by Bayer and Redmile Group.
Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Founder mafia
3 people who came through Grobio went on to found or lead other companies.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsSeries A financing led by Leaps by Bayer and Redmile Group.
$25M source ↗
Seed round co-led by Digitalis Ventures and Eric Schmidt's Innovation Endeavors.
$2.1M source ↗
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 1
primary sources listed
- Grobiogrobio.com · web
1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Grobio do?
- GRO Biosciences engineers protein therapeutics built on non-standard amino acids via its GRO platform.
- Who founded Grobio?
- Grobio was founded by Daniel J Mandell in 2016.
- Who are Grobio's investors?
- Grobio's investors include Leaps by Bayer, REDMILE, Digitalis Ventures, Dreamers VC, Rising Tide, Atlas Venture, Innovation Endeavors, OS Fund.
- How much funding has Grobio raised?
- Grobio has disclosed $33.3M raised across 3 of its 5 known rounds.
- Where is Grobio headquartered?
- Grobio is headquartered in Cambridge, US.