Manus Bio raises $19 million to make plant ingredients via fermentation

Boston-area start-up Manus Bio has raised $19.4 million in its first round of venture funding from investors, including 415 Investments and NXT Ventures. Manus, based on technology developed at MIT, aims to produce ingredients by fermentation that are normally derived from plants. The company is targeting what it calls rare and expensive ingredients used in flavors, fragrances, cosmetics, agriculture, nutrition, and pharmaceuticals. It has disclosed programs to manufacture the stevia sweetener rebaudioside M, the antimalarial artemisinin, and the tick and mite pesticide acaricide.