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Tech & Innovation
4 mins to read

Failed Kiwi biopharma Helico Bio owes millions to Safe investors

The startup that was trying to design plants to manufacture life-saving medicines has pulled the plug.

Helico Bio CEO Ilya Vensky (now Harley Williams).

The board of Auckland biopharma startup Helico Bio has tipped the company into liquidation after it failed to achieve its goals.

The startup was trying to unlock the natural ability of plants to become factories for medicinal compounds using innovative computational biology and plant

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Fiona Rotherham Thu, 15 Jan 2026
Contact the Writer: fiona@nbr.co.nz
News tip? Question? Typo? Let us know: editor@nbr.co.nz
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Failed Kiwi biopharma Helico Bio owes millions to Safe investors
Tech & Innovation,
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