Botanical Solution Inc. Secured $7.6 Million in Series A Extension

Chile’s Botanical Solution Inc. (BSI) has secured an additional $7.6 million as part of its Series A financing, bringing the total to $23.3 million for this round. This new investment will support the company’s plans to commence in-house production of QS-21, a pharmaceutical-grade vaccine adjuvant, using its proprietary, cost-effective, and scalable methods.

QS-21 is a key component in FDA-approved vaccines for Shingles and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). BSI’s production method, which utilizes tissue-cultured Quillaja saponaria plants, offers a sustainable alternative to traditional extraction methods that rely on tree bark, thereby reducing environmental impact and ensuring a steady, high-quality supply of QS-21 without deforestation.

The announcement was made by Gaston Salinas, CEO of BSI, during a seminar at Harvard University’s Global Health, Biodiversity, and Therapeutic Hybrid Seminar in San Jose, Costa Rica. Salinas emphasized the significance of BSI’s plant tissue culture technology in addressing industry challenges and ensuring an eco-friendly supply of QS-21.

The Series A funds will enable BSI to accelerate GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) production of QS-21 for human vaccines, enhance its R&D capabilities, and expand its laboratory facilities in Davis, California. The company has already established a key partnership with Croda Pharma for the production of QS-21, with plans to explore further opportunities for collaboration with vaccine developers.

BSI’s proprietary R&D platform focuses on sustainable and consistent production of Advanced Botanical Materials (ABM). Its first product, ABM-01, derived from tissue-cultured Quillaja saponaria, is the active ingredient in BSI’s biopesticide Quillibrium® and the adjuvant QS-21.