Existing investor Tate and Lyle returned to back the UC Davis spinout's latest round, which will fund pre-commercialisation activities for its probiotics products.

US-based microbiotics developer Evolve BioSystems, a spinout of University of California, Davis, closed a $9m series A round yesterday backed by investors including agribusiness Tate and Lyle’s corporate venturing division, Tate and Lyle Ventures.

The round was led by venture capital firm Horizons Ventures and featured a range of existing, undisclosed angel investors.

Founded in 2011, Evolve is developing probiotics products for infants that encourage good bacteria in the gut while removing harmful bacteria. The company is a spinout of…