Michigan Capital Network leads $9M growth round in autism-focused biotech Scioto Biosciences
What's the deal? Michigan Capital NetworkDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → is leading a $9 million growth equity round in Scioto Biosciences, an Indianapolis biotech founded in 2017 that believes gut bacteria may hold the key to treating autism symptoms in children.
The capital will fund a Phase 1B clinical trial testing the safety of Scioto's compound in children with autism. The company was founded in partnership with Nationwide Children's HospitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → in Columbus, Ohio, building on emerging science around how gut health affects overall wellbeing.
Scioto's compound activates beneficial bacteria in the body as natural defence mechanisms to treat autism symptoms, according to co-founder and chief executive officer Joe Trebley.
Why now? Published results from an earlier small trial involving 15 adults showed an "amazing" safety profile, said Jenni Li, a principal at Michigan Capital Network. The data also showed improvements in participants "all across the board," giving the firm "conviction to invest."
Meanwhile, autism prevalence is climbing. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in 2025 that one in 31 children aged eight has autism spectrum disorder — up from an earlier estimate of one in 36.
"The kids and the autism community really need a solution that's not psychiatric drugs or just vitamins and all different kinds of 'other treatments,'" Li said. "We always make big bets when it comes to therapeutics. We want to swing for the fences."
What could go wrong? The science linking gut bacteria to neurological conditions is still young, and Phase 1B trials are early-stage — designed primarily to assess safety, not efficacy. Positive results in 15 adults don't guarantee the compound will work in children, and the path from here to regulatory approval is long and expensive.
Biotech investors know that most drug candidates never reach the market. A failed trial could mean the $9 million yields little return.
The signal: This deal reflects two converging trends: growing investor appetite for microbiome-based therapeutics and rising demand for non-pharmaceutical autism treatments. As autism diagnoses increase, families and clinicians are searching for alternatives to existing options — and venture capital is following that demand into earlier-stage, higher-risk bets.
Michigan Capital Network's willingness to lead a growth equity round in a pre-approval biotech signals confidence that the gut-brain axis could become a meaningful frontier in neurodevelopmental medicine.
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