Illumina, GV and Orient Life supported a $72m series C round for MIT spinout SQZ Biotechnology, with the money set to fund therapies for solid tumours and autoimmunity.

SQZ Biotechnology, a US-based cell therapy spinout of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), closed an oversubscribed $72m series C round today that included biotechnology producer Illumina and internet and technology conglomerate Alphabet.

Insurance provider Orient Life also contributed to the round, as did Everblue, Invus, Viva Ventures Biotech, Bridger Healthcare Partners, Global Health Science Fund, NanoDimension, Polaris Partners and JDRF T1D Fund, managed by diabetes-focused charity JDRF.

Illumina and Alphabet invested in the round through corporate venturing subsidiaries Illumina Ventures…