Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4)
Registration No. 333-231239

PROSPECTUS

3,750,000 shares

Common stock

Twist Bioscience Corporation is offering 3,750,000 shares of its common stock.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “TWST.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on May 8, 2019 was $21.81 per share.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, we have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus and future filings.

We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 562,500 additional shares of common stock from us at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions.

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See the section entitled “Risk factors” beginning on page 20 to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our common stock.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of common stock to purchasers on or about May 13, 2019.

Joint book running managers

Lead manager

Baird

May 8, 2019

Table of contents

NEITHER WE NOR THE UNDERWRITERS HAVE AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN ANY FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES WE HAVE PREPARED. NEITHER WE NOR THE UNDERWRITERS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR, AND CAN PROVIDE NO ASSURANCE AS TO THE RELIABILITY OF, ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT OTHERS MAY GIVE YOU. THIS PROSPECTUS IS AN OFFER TO SELL ONLY THE SHARES OFFERED HEREBY, BUT ONLY UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES AND IN JURISDICTIONS WHERE IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS CURRENT ONLY AS OF ITS DATE.

For investors outside of the United States: We have not, and the underwriters have not, done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than the United States. Persons outside of the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.

“Twist Bioscience,” and “Sequencespace” are registered trademarks in the United States and, in some cases, in certain other countries and our logo is an unregistered trademark of Twist Bioscience Corporation. All other brand names or trademarks appearing in this prospectus, and the information incorporated by reference herein, are the property of their respective holders. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus, and the information incorporated by reference herein, are referred to without the ^® and ^™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.

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Risk factors

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before investing in our common stock, you should consider carefully the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including the risks and uncertainties discussed under “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. If any of the risks incorporated by reference herein or set forth below occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and future growth prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In these circumstances, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks relating to owning our common stock and this offering

Our share price may be volatile, and you may be unable to sell your shares at or above the offering price.

The market price of our common stock is likely to be volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to many risk factors listed in this section, and others beyond our control, including:

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Furthermore, the stock markets have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations, as well as general economic, political and market conditions such as recessions, interest rate changes or international currency fluctuations, may negatively impact the market price of our common stock. If the market price of our common stock after this offering does not exceed the public offering price, you may not realize any return on your investment in us and may lose some or all of your investment. In the past, companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have been subject to securities class action litigation. We may be the target of this type of litigation in the future. Securities litigation against us could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention from other business concerns, which could seriously harm our business.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business or publish negative reports about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock depends on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not and will not have any control over our analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our shares or change their opinion of our shares, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price or trading volume to decline.

Future sales and issuances of our common stock or rights to purchase common stock, including pursuant to our equity incentive plans, could result in additional dilution of the percentage ownership of our stockholders and could cause the stock price of our common stock to decline.

We may issue additional securities following the completion of this offering. In the future, we may sell common stock, convertible securities or other equity securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. We also expect to issue common stock to employees and directors pursuant to our equity incentive plans. If we sell common stock, convertible securities or other equity securities in subsequent transactions, or common stock is issued pursuant to equity incentive plans, investors may be materially diluted. New investors in such subsequent transactions could gain rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of holders of our common stock.

Future sales of our common stock in the public market could cause our share price to fall.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market after this offering, or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. Based on the number of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2019, upon the closing of this offering, we will have 31,774,052 shares of common stock outstanding, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares or of our outstanding options.

All of the common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restrictions or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, except for any shares held by our affiliates as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. We, our executive officers and directors, and certain of our existing security holders, have agreed not to sell or transfer any common stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for, or repayable with common stock, for 90 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of the underwriters. The underwriters may, in their sole discretion, release all or some portion of the shares subject to lock-up agreements with the underwriters prior to expiration of the lock-up period. See also the section of this prospectus captioned “Shares eligible for future

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sale.” For more information regarding the lock-up agreements with the underwriters see the section of this prospectus captioned “Underwriting.”

Our management team may invest or spend the proceeds of this offering in ways with which you may not agree or in ways which may not yield a return.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. Accordingly, investors will need to rely on our judgment with respect to the use of these proceeds. We intend to use the proceeds from this offering primarily to improve and update our platform and core technologies, to expand our sales and marketing capabilities in the United States. and in other geographies, including China, to establish our operations in China, to continue to expand in the pharmaceutical biologics drug discovery and DNA data storage markets, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. While we have no current agreements, commitments or understandings for any specific strategic acquisitions or in-licenses at this time, we may use a portion of the net proceeds for these purposes. For more information see, “Use of proceeds.” The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could adversely affect our ability to continue maintaining and expanding our business. Until the net proceeds are used, they may be placed in investments that do not produce significant income or that may lose value.

Because the public offering price of our common stock will be substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our outstanding common stock following this offering, new investors will experience immediate and substantial dilution.

The public offering price of our common stock is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately following this offering based on the total value of our tangible assets less our total liabilities. Therefore, if you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will experience immediate dilution of approximately $15.12 per share, the difference between the public offering price of $21.00 per share and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock as of March 31, 2019, after giving effect to the issuance of shares of our common stock in this offering. Furthermore, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares, or outstanding options and warrants are exercised, you could experience further dilution. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after the offering, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Dilution.”

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Special note regarding forward-looking statements

This prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference herein, includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the operating results and financial condition of our business. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, statements about:

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In addition, in this prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference herein, the words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “predict,” “potential” and similar expressions, as they relate to our company, our business and our management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference herein, may not occur and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus or as of the date on which they were made. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

You should read this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect.

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Use of proceeds

We estimate that the net proceeds from our issuance and sale of shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $73.0 million, or approximately $84.1 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in full, at the public offering price of $21.00 per share after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

As of March 31, 2019, we had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $104.3 million. We currently estimate that we will use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments for the following purposes:

We believe opportunities may exist from time to time to expand our current business through strategic acquisitions or in-licenses of complementary companies or technologies. While we have no current agreements, commitments or understandings for any specific strategic acquisitions or in-licenses at this time, we may use a portion of the net proceeds for these purposes.

This expected use of the net proceeds from this offering and our existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions, which could change in the future as our plans and business conditions evolve. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the actual amounts that we will spend on the uses set forth above. As a result, our management will retain broad discretion over the allocation of the net proceeds from this offering.

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After giving effect to the anticipated net proceeds from this offering, we expect that our existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund our planned operating expenses, capital expenditure requirements and debt service payments through at least the next 12 months. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect. For additional information regarding our potential capital requirements, see the section hereof entitled “Risk factors”, as well as our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein.

Pending our use of the net proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation investments, including short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments and U.S. government securities.

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Dividend policy

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions including compliance with covenants under our credit facilities and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, under the terms of our current credit facilities, we are prohibited from paying cash dividends without the prior consent of Silicon Valley Bank.

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Capitalization

The following table sets forth our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and capitalization as of March 31, 2019 on:

You should read this table together with the section of this prospectus entitled “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus is based upon 28,024,052 shares of our common stock (including 66,197 unvested shares of restricted common stock subject to our repurchase right) outstanding as of March 31, 2019, and excludes:

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Dilution

If you invest in our common stock, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share of our common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering. Our historical net tangible book value as of March 31, 2019 was $113.7 million, or $4.06 per share of common stock. Our net tangible book value per share represents total tangible assets less total liabilities divided by the number of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2019.

After giving effect to our sale of 3,750,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at the public offering price of $21.00 per share, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2019 would have been $186.7 million, or $5.88 per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $1.82 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $15.12 per share to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, the as adjusted net tangible book value per share would be $6.12 per share, and the dilution per share to new investors in this offering would be $14.88 per share.

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The following table summarizes the as adjusted basis as described above, as of March 31, 2019, the differences between the existing stockholders and new investors with respect to the number of shares of common stock purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us and the average price per share paid or to be paid to us at the public offering price of $21.00 per share before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us:

If all of the outstanding options and warrants noted below were exercised (1) the number of shares of our common stock held by existing stockholders would be increased to 32,517,051 shares, or 89.7% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering, and the percentage of shares of common stock held by new investors participating in the offering would be decreased to 10.3% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering, (2) the consideration paid by existing stockholders would be increased to $431.4 million, or 84.6% of the total consideration paid by stockholders after this offering, and the percentage of consideration paid by new investors participating in the offering would be decreased to 15.4% of the total consideration paid by stockholders after this offering, and (3) the weighted average price per share paid by existing stockholders would decrease to $13.27 per share.

Assuming the exercise of all of our outstanding options and warrants as of March 31, 2019, the amounts set forth in the table immediately above would change as follows:

Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus is based upon 28,024,052 shares of our common stock (including 66,197 unvested shares of restricted common stock subject to our repurchase right) outstanding as of March 31, 2019, and excludes:

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To the extent that any outstanding options or warrants are exercised, new options are issued under our stock-based compensation plans or we issue additional shares of common stock in the future, there will be further dilution to investors participating in this offering.

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Principal stockholders

The following table and footnotes set forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of March 31, 2019, subject to certain assumptions set forth in the footnote and as adjusted to reflect the sale of the shares of common stock offered in the public offering under this prospectus for:

In accordance with SEC rules, each listed person’s beneficial ownership includes:

Our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership prior to this offering is based on 28,024,052 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2019. The percentage ownership information assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares. Shares of common stock that a person has the right to acquire within 60 days after March 31, 2019 are deemed outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of the person holding such rights, but are not deemed outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person, except with respect to the percentage ownership of all directors and executive officers as a group.

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Unless otherwise indicated, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all securities that they beneficially own, subject to community property laws where applicable. Unless otherwise noted below, the business address of the stockholders listed below is the address of our principal executive office, 455 Mission Bay Boulevard South. Suite 545, San Francisco, CA 94158.

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Description of capital stock

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 100,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share, all of which preferred stock will be undesignated. The following information is intended as a summary only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, and amended and restated bylaws, copies of which are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, and to the applicable provisions of Delaware General Corporation Law.

Common stock

As of March 31, 2019, we had 28,024,052 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, held of record by approximately 231 stockholders of record. Based on shares outstanding as of March 31, 2019, upon completion of this offering, there will be 31,774,052 shares of our common stock outstanding.

The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Cumulative voting for the election of directors is not provided for in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which means the holders of a majority of our shares of common stock can elect all of the directors then standing for election. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding convertible preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends as may be declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available for that purpose. See “Dividend policy.” In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities, subject to the prior distribution rights of any outstanding convertible preferred stock. The common stock has no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights. The outstanding shares of common stock are, and the shares of common stock to be issued upon completion of this offering will be, fully paid and non-assessable.

Preferred stock

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share, in one or more series. The board of directors also has the authority to designate the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of each such series, including dividend rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of each such series, including dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, redemption prices, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms and the number of shares constituting any series.

The issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of the company without further action by the stockholders. The issuance of convertible preferred stock with voting and conversion rights may also adversely affect the voting power of the holders of common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation. In certain circumstances, an issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of decreasing the market price of the common stock. As of the closing of our initial public offering, no shares of convertible preferred stock are outstanding. We currently have no plans to issue any shares of convertible preferred stock.

Warrants

As of March 31, 2019, we had warrants outstanding to purchase 74,670 shares of our common stock at exercise prices ranging from approximately $6.24 to $21.24 per share. Each outstanding warrant contains provisions for

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the adjustment of the exercise price and the number of shares issuable upon exercise in the event of stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations and reclassifications, consolidations and the like.

Options

As of March 31, 2019, we had outstanding options to purchase 3,932,469 shares of our common stock under our 2018 Plan and 1,397,566 shares remained available for future awards.

Registration rights

Based on the number of shares outstanding as of March 31, 2019, under our amended and restated registration rights agreement, the holders of up to approximately 11.9 million shares of common stock, or their affiliates or transferees, have the right to require us to register their shares under the Securities Act so that those shares may be publicly resold, or to include their shares in any registration statement we file, in each case as described below.

The registration rights terminate with respect to the registration rights of an individual holder on the earliest to occur of (i) five years following the consummation of our initial public offering, (ii) the liquidation, dissolution or indefinite cessation of the business operations of our company, or the closing of a deemed liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, or (iii) such time as Rule 144 or another similar exemption under the Securities Act is available for the sale of such stockholder’s shares.

Demand registration rights

Based on the number of shares outstanding as of March 31, 2019, the holders of approximately      million shares of our common stock (on an as-converted basis), or their transferees, are entitled to certain demand registration rights. The holders of at least a majority of the registrable securities may demand that we effect a registration under the Securities Act covering the public offering and sale of at least the number of registrable securities held by such stockholders having an anticipated aggregate offering price, net of underwriting discounts and commissions, of at least $10,000,000. Upon any such demand, we must effect the registration of such registrable securities that have been requested to register together with all other registrable securities that we may have been requested to register by other stockholders pursuant to the incidental registration rights described below. We are only obligated to effect two registrations in response to these demand registration rights. In the event we are required to effect such a demand registration, we may not effect any other registration of securities for sale for our own account (other than a registration effected solely to implement an employee benefit plan or in certain business combination transactions) within 120 days following the effective date of the demand registration.

Piggyback registration rights

In connection with this offering, certain holders were entitled to, and the necessary percentage of holders waived, their rights to notice of this offering and to include their shares of registrable securities in this offering. If we register any securities for public sale in another offering, including pursuant to any stockholder initiated demand registration, holders of such registrable securities will have the right to include their shares in the registration statement for such offering, subject to certain exceptions. The underwriters of any underwritten offering will have the right to limit the number registrable securities to be included in the registration statement, subject to certain restrictions.

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Form S-3 registration rights

We are required to use our best efforts to qualify and remain qualified to register securities pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act. At any time after we are qualified to file a registration statement on Form S-3, the holders of registrable securities anticipated to have an aggregate sale price, net of underwriting discounts and commission, in excess of $5,000,000 may request in writing an unlimited number of registration statements on Form S-3 for the registrable securities held by such requesting holder or holders, and we are required to use our best efforts to effect such registrations.

Expenses of registration

We will pay all registration expenses related to any demand, piggyback or Form S-3 registration, including reasonable fees and disbursements of one special counsel for the holders of such registrable securities, other than underwriting fees, discounts or commissions (if any), which will be borne by the holders of such registrable securities.

Anti-takeover effects of Delaware law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws contain certain provisions that could have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing another party from acquiring control of us. These provisions and certain provisions of Delaware law, which are summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed, in part, to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate more favorable terms with an unfriendly or unsolicited acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging a proposal to acquire us.

Undesignated preferred stock

As discussed above, our board of directors has the ability to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change control of us. These and other provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management of our company.

Limits on ability of stockholders to act by written consent or call a special meeting

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our stockholders may not act by written consent, which may lengthen the amount of time required to take stockholder actions. As a result, a holder controlling a majority of our capital stock would not be able to amend our bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our bylaws.

In addition, our amended and restated bylaws provide that special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by the majority of our board of directors. Stockholders may not call a special meeting, which may delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for holders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.

Requirements for advance notification of stockholder nominations and proposals

Our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction

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of our board of directors or a committee of our board of directors. These provisions may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed. These provisions may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

Board classification

Our board of directors is divided into three classes, one class of which is elected each year by our stockholders. The directors in each class serve three-year terms. For more information on the classified board, see “Directors, executive officers and corporate governance” in our 2018 Annual Report. A third party may be discouraged from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us as it is it more difficult and time-consuming for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors on a classified board.

No cumulative voting

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws do not provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors. Cumulative voting allows a stockholder to vote a portion or all of its shares for one or more candidates for seats on the board of directors. Without cumulative voting, a minority stockholder may not be able to gain as many seats on our board of directors as the stockholder would be able to gain if cumulative voting were permitted. The absence of cumulative voting makes it more difficult for a minority stockholder to gain a seat on our board of directors to influence our board’s decision regarding a takeover.

Amendment of charter and bylaws provisions

The amendment of the above provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires approval by holders of at least two thirds of our outstanding capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. The amendment of certain provisions of our bylaws also requires approval by the holders of at least two thirds of our outstanding capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

Delaware anti-takeover statute

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging, under certain circumstances, in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date the person became an interested stockholder unless:

Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An interested stockholder is a person who, together with

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affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own 15% or more of a corporation’s outstanding voting stock. We expect the existence of this provision to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions our board of directors does not approve in advance. We anticipate that Section 203 may also discourage attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.

The provisions of Delaware law and the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as amended upon the completion of this offering, could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they might also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions might also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provisions of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, any action or proceeding asserting a claim as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction upon the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, subject in each case to the Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the parties named as defendants therein. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation further provides that the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Although our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains the choice of forum provision described above, it is possible that a court could find that such a provision is inapplicable for a particular claim or action or that such provision is unenforceable.

Transfer agent and registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, and its telephone number is (718) 921-8124.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “TWST.”

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Shares eligible for future sale

Prior to our initial public offering, there was no public market for our common stock, and we make no prediction as to the effect, if any, that market sales of shares of common stock or the availability of shares of common stock for sale will have on the market price of common stock prevailing from time to time. Nevertheless, sales of substantial amounts of common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of common stock and could impair our future ability to raise capital through the sale of equity securities.

Sale of restricted shares

Based on the number of shares outstanding as of March 31, 2019, when this offering is complete, we will have an aggregate of 31,774,052 shares of common stock outstanding, assuming no exercise of outstanding options or warrants and no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

Of the outstanding shares, all of the 3,750,000 shares sold in this offering will be freely tradable, and the 5,750,000 shares sold in our initial public offering, as well as any shares sold in this offering upon exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, are freely tradable in the public market without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, unless the shares are held by any of our “affiliates” as such term is defined in Rule 144 of the Securities Act. All remaining shares of common stock held by existing stockholders immediately prior to the completion of this offering will be “restricted securities” as such term is defined in Rule 144. These restricted securities were issued and sold by us in private transactions and are eligible for public sale only if registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, including the exemptions provided by Rule 144 or Rule 701, which rules are summarized below.

Lock-up agreements and obligations

We, all of our directors, officers and all of our securityholders have entered into lock-up agreements that generally provide that these holders will not offer, pledge, sell, agree to sell, directly or indirectly, or otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Cowen and Company, LLC for a period of 90 days from the date of this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions. These agreements, and the exceptions thereto, are described beginning on page 48 of this prospectus in the section titled “Underwriting.”

Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, once we have been subject to public company reporting requirements for at least 90 days, a person who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates for purposes of the Securities Act at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least six months, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, is entitled to sell such shares without complying with the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144, subject to compliance with the public information requirements of Rule 144. If such a person has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, then such person is entitled to sell such shares without complying with any of the requirements of Rule 144.

In general, under Rule 144, as currently in effect, our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates are entitled to sell upon expiration of the lock-up agreements described above, within any three-

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month period beginning 90 days after the date of this prospectus, a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:

Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.

Rule 701

Rule 701, as presently in effect, generally allows a stockholder who purchased shares of our common stock pursuant to a written compensatory plan or contract and who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of our company during the immediately preceding 90 days to sell these shares in reliance upon Rule 144, but without being required to comply with the public information, holding period, volume limitation, or notice provisions of Rule 144. Rule 701 also permits affiliates of our company to sell their Rule 701 shares under Rule 144 without complying with the holding period requirements of Rule 144. All holders of Rule 701 shares, however, are required to wait until 90 days after the date of the prospectus before selling such shares pursuant to Rule 701.

As of March 31, 2019, 2,936,088 shares of our outstanding stock had been issued in reliance on Rule 701 as a result of exercises of stock options and stock awards. These shares will be eligible for resale in reliance on this rule upon expiration of the lock-up agreements described above.

Registration rights

The holders of an aggregate of approximately 11.9 million shares of our common stock, or their transferees, are entitled to rights with respect to the registration of their shares under the Securities Act. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of such registration. For a further description of these rights, see “Description of capital stock—Registration rights.”

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Material U.S. federal income tax considerations for non-U.S. holders

This section discusses the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock sold pursuant to this offering to a “non-U.S. holder” (as defined below). This discussion does not provide a complete analysis of all potential tax considerations. The information provided below is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or Code, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial decisions currently in effect. These authorities may change at any time, possibly on a retroactive basis, or the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, might interpret the existing authorities differently. In either case, the U.S. federal income tax considerations of owning or disposing of our common stock could differ from those described below. As a result, we cannot assure you that the U.S. federal income tax considerations described in this discussion will not be challenged by the IRS or will be sustained by a court if challenged by the IRS.

This discussion does not address the tax considerations arising under the alternative minimum tax, the net investment income tax, the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. jurisdiction, or under U.S. federal gift and estate tax laws. In addition, this discussion does not address tax considerations applicable to an investor’s particular circumstances or to investors that may be subject to special tax rules, including, without limitation:

In addition, if a partnership or entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes is a beneficial owner of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership or an owner of the entity will depend upon the status of the partner or owner and the activities of the partnership or entity.

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Accordingly, this discussion does not address U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to partnerships that hold our common stock, and partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors.

Investors considering the purchase of our common stock should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of the U.S. federal income, gift and estate tax laws to their particular situations and the consequences of non-U.S., state or local laws, and tax treaties.

Non-U.S. holder defined

For purposes of this section, a “non-U.S. holder” is any holder of our common stock, other than an entity taxable as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, that is not:

If you are a non-U.S. citizen who is an individual, you may, in many cases, be deemed to be a resident alien, as opposed to a nonresident alien, by virtue of being present in the United States for at least 31 days in the calendar year and for an aggregate of at least 183 days during a three-year period ending in the current calendar year. For these purposes, all the days present in the current year, one-third of the days present in the immediately preceding year, and one-sixth of the days present in the second preceding year are counted. Resident aliens are subject to U.S. federal income tax as if they were U.S. citizens. Such an individual is urged to consult his or her own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock.

Distributions

In the future, if we make any distributions on shares of our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will constitute a return of capital that is applied against and reduces, but not below zero, a non-U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in shares of our common stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as gain realized on the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock. See “—Sale of common stock.”

Subject to the discussion below regarding the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, and backup withholding, any distribution made to a non-U.S. holder on our common stock that is not effectively connected with a non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate. The withholding tax might not apply, however, or might apply at a reduced rate, under the terms of an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence. You should consult your tax advisors regarding your entitlement to benefits under a relevant income tax treaty. Generally, in order for us or our paying agent to withhold tax at a lower treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must certify its entitlement to treaty benefits. A non-U.S. holder generally can meet this

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certification requirement by providing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E (or any successor form to the IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E) to us or our paying agent. If the non-U.S. holder holds the stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the non-U.S. holder’s behalf, the non-U.S. holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the agent. The non-U.S. holder’s agent will then be required to provide certification to us or our paying agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. If you are eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. federal withholding tax under an income tax treaty, you may obtain a refund or credit from the IRS of any excess amounts withheld by filing an appropriate claim for a refund with the IRS in a timely manner.

Distributions received by a non-U.S. holder that are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder, and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States, are not subject to the 30% withholding tax. To obtain this exemption, a non-U.S. holder must provide us with an IRS Form W-8ECI properly certifying such exemption. Such effectively connected distributions, although not subject to U.S. withholding tax, are generally taxed at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. persons, net of certain deductions and credits. In addition to the graduated tax described above, distributions received by corporate non-U.S. holders that are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the corporate non-U.S. holder may also be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted for certain items, although an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence might provide for a lower rate.

Sale of common stock

Subject to the discussion below regarding FATCA and backup withholding, non-U.S. holders will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gains realized on the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock unless:

The FIRPTA rules may apply to a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock if we are at the time of the sale, exchange, or other taxable disposition, or were within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition and the non-U.S. holder’s holding period, a “United States real property holding corporation,” or USRPHC. In general, we would be a USRPHC if the fair market value of our “U.S. real property interests” comprised at least half of the fair market value of our business assets and our U.S. and non-U.S. real property interests. If we are or become a USRPHC, as long as our common stock is regularly traded on an

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established securities market, such common stock will be treated as “U.S. real property interests” subject to the FIRPTA rules only if a non-U.S. holder actually owns or constructively holds more than 5% of our outstanding common stock at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition and the non-U.S. holder’s holding period. Currently, we believe we are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC.

If any gain from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock (1) is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by a non-U.S. holder and (2) if required by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence, is attributable to a permanent establishment (or, in the case of an individual, a fixed base) maintained by such non-U.S. holder in the United States, then the gain generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. persons, net of certain deductions and credits. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation, under certain circumstances, that portion of its earnings and profits that is effectively connected with its U.S. trade or business, subject to certain adjustments, generally would be subject to a “branch profits tax.” The branch profits tax rate is equal to 30% of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted for certain items, although an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence might provide for a lower rate.

Backup withholding and information reporting

Payments of dividends on our common stock will not be subject to backup withholding, provided the non-U.S. holder certifies its non-U.S. status, such as by furnishing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI (and we or our paying agent do not have actual knowledge or reason to know the holder is a U.S. person or that the conditions of any other exemption are not, in fact, satisfied), or otherwise establishes an exemption. However, information returns are required to be filed with the IRS in connection with any dividends on our common stock paid to the non-U.S. holder, regardless of whether any tax was actually withheld. Copies of these reports may be made available to tax authorities in the country where the non-U.S. holder resides. In addition, proceeds of the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock within the United States or conducted through certain U.S.-related brokers generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting if the applicable withholding agent receives the certification described above or the non-U.S. holder otherwise establishes an exemption. Proceeds of a disposition of our common stock conducted through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker that does not have certain enumerated relationships with the United States generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting. The backup withholding rate is currently 24%.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld from a payment to a holder of our common stock under the backup withholding rules can be credited against any U.S. federal income tax liability of the holder and may entitle the holder to a refund from the IRS, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.

Foreign account tax compliance act, or FATCA

FATCA imposes U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on certain types of U.S. source “withholdable payments” (including dividends and the gross proceeds from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of U.S. stock) to “foreign financial institutions,” which are broadly defined for this purpose, and other non-U.S. entities in connection with the failure to comply with certain certification and information reporting requirements regarding U.S. account holders or owners of such institutions or entities. The obligation to withhold under FATCA applies to any dividends on our common stock. While withholding under FATCA would have applied also, to gross proceeds from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock paid after December 31, 2018 and to certain “pass-thru” payments received with respect to instruments held through foreign financial institutions after the later of December 31, 2018 and the date on which applicable final

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Treasury regulations are issued, recently proposed Treasury regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely and limit FATCA withholding on these “pass-thru” payments to those payments made two years after the date on which applicable final Treasury regulations are issued. Taxpayers generally may rely on these proposed Treasury regulations until final Treasury regulations are issued. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify the requirements described in this paragraph. Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of FATCA on their investment in our common stock.

The preceding discussion of U.S. federal income tax considerations is for general information only. It is not tax advice. Each prospective investor should consult its own tax advisor regarding the particular U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock, including the consequences of any proposed change in applicable laws.

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Underwriting

We are offering the shares of common stock described in this prospectus through a number of underwriters. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Cowen and Company, LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering and as representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:

The underwriters are committed to purchase all the shares of common stock offered by us if they purchase any shares. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or the offering may be terminated.

The underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $0.756 per share. After the initial offering of the shares to the public, the offering price and other selling terms may be changed by the underwriters. Sales of shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.

The underwriters have an option to buy up to 562,500 additional shares of common stock from us. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option to purchase additional shares. If any shares are purchased with this option to purchase additional shares, the underwriters will purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as shown in the table above. If any additional shares of common stock are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.

The underwriting fee is equal to the public offering price per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock. The underwriting fee is $1.26 per share. The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, including registration, filing and listing fees, printing fees and legal and accounting expenses, but excluding the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be

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approximately $1.0 million. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for expenses relating to the clearance of this offering with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (in an amount not to exceed $40,000).

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in the offering. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives to underwriters and selling group members that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

We have agreed that we will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, relating to, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers all or a portion of the economic consequences associated with the ownership of any shares of common stock or any such other securities (regardless of whether any of these transactions are to be settled by the delivery of shares of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise), in each case without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Cowen and Company, LLC for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus, other than (i) the shares of our common stock to be sold hereunder, or (ii) any shares of our common stock issued upon the exercise of options granted under our existing equity incentive plans.

Our directors and executive officers, and certain of our stockholders have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters prior to the commencement of this offering pursuant to which each of these persons or entities, with limited exceptions, for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus, may not, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Cowen and Company, LLC, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock (including, without limitation, common stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by such directors, executive officers and stockholders in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our common stock or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock.

The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph do not apply to, among other items:

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provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to the above six subclauses, (i) each transferee, donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter in the form executed by the party subject to the lock up restrictions and (ii) no filing or other public announcement under Section 16(a)of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period (other than a filing on Form 5 or a required filing on a Schedule 13F or 13G);

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We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “TWST.”

In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, which involves making bids for, purchasing and selling shares of common stock in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock while this offering is in progress. These stabilizing transactions may include making short sales of the common stock, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares of common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of common stock on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be “covered” shorts, which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares referred to above, or may be “naked” shorts, which are short positions in excess of that amount. The underwriters may close out any covered short position either by exercising their option to purchase additional shares, in whole or in part, or by purchasing shares in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market compared to the price at which the underwriters may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. To the extent that the underwriters create a naked short position, they will purchase shares in the open market to cover the position.

The underwriters have advised us that, pursuant to Regulation M of the Securities Act, they may also engage in other activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock, including the imposition of penalty bids. This means that if the representatives of the underwriters purchase common stock in the open market in stabilizing transactions or to cover short sales, the representatives can require the underwriters that sold those shares as part of this offering to repay the underwriting discount received by them.

These activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock, and, as a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If the underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at any time. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

Selling restrictions

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

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Notice to prospective investors in the European economic area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State, no offer of shares may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:

provided that no such offer of shares shall require the Company or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive and each person who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with each of the underwriters and the Company that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of the law in that Relevant Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive.

In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant Member State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of shares to the public” in relation to any shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase shares, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State.

Notice to prospective investors in the United Kingdom

In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are “qualified investors” (as defined in the Prospectus Directive) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, or the Order and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”) or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of the shares in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the information included in this document or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons.

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Notice to prospective investors in Canada

The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Notice to prospective investors in Switzerland

The shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of, and has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the shares has been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, or FINMA, and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.

Notice to prospective investors in the Dubai international financial centre, or DIFC

This document relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Markets Rules 2012 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA. This document is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Markets Rules 2012 of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this document. The securities to which this document relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

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In relation to its use in the DIFC, this document is strictly private and confidential and is being distributed to a limited number of investors and must not be provided to any person other than the original recipient, and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose. The interests in the securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly to the public in the DIFC.

Notice to prospective investors in the United Arab Emirates

The shares have not been, and are not being, publicly offered, sold, promoted or advertised in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) other than in compliance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates (and the Dubai International Financial Centre) governing the issue, offering and sale of securities. Further, this prospectus does not constitute a public offer of securities in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) and is not intended to be a public offer. This prospectus has not been approved by or filed with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Securities and Commodities Authority or the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

Notice to prospective investors in Australia

This prospectus:

The shares may not be directly or indirectly offered for subscription or purchased or sold, and no invitations to subscribe for or buy the shares may be issued, and no draft or definitive offering memorandum, advertisement or other offering material relating to any shares may be distributed in Australia, except where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act or is otherwise in compliance with all applicable Australian laws and regulations. By submitting an application for the shares, you represent and warrant to us that you are an Exempt Investor.

As any offer of shares under this document will be made without disclosure in Australia under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act, the offer of those securities for resale in Australia within 12 months may, under section 707 of the Corporations Act, require disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D.2 if none of the exemptions in section 708 applies to that resale. By applying for the shares you undertake to us that you will not, for a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the shares, offer, transfer, assign or otherwise alienate those securities to investors in Australia except in circumstances where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act or where a compliant disclosure document is prepared and lodged with ASIC.

Notice to prospective investors in Japan

The shares have not been and will not be registered pursuant to Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Accordingly, none of the shares nor any interest therein may be offered or sold,

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directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any “resident” of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan in effect at the relevant time.

Notice to prospective investors in Hong Kong

The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.

Warning

The contents of this document have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. You are advised to exercise caution in relation to the offer. If you are in any doubt about any of the contents of this document, you should obtain independent professional advice.

Notice to prospective investors in Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

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securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

Notice to prospective investors in Bermuda

Shares may be offered or sold in Bermuda only in compliance with the provisions of the Investment Business Act of 2003 of Bermuda which regulates the sale of securities in Bermuda. Additionally, non-Bermudian persons (including companies) may not carry on or engage in any trade or business in Bermuda unless such persons are permitted to do so under applicable Bermuda legislation.

Notice to prospective investors in Saudi Arabia

This document may not be distributed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia except to such persons as are permitted under the Offers of Securities Regulations as issued by the board of the Saudi Arabian Capital Market Authority,

or CMA pursuant to resolution number 2-11-2004 dated 4 October 2004 as amended by resolution number 1-28-2008, as amended, or the CMA Regulations. The CMA does not make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of this document and expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss arising from, or incurred in reliance upon, any part of this document. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered hereby should conduct their own due diligence on the accuracy of the information relating to the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document, you should consult an authorised financial adviser.

Notice to prospective investors in the British Virgin Islands

The shares may be offered to persons located in the British Virgin Islands who are “qualified investors” for the purposes of SIBA. Qualified investors include (i) certain entities which are regulated by the Financial Services Commission in the British Virgin Islands, including banks, insurance companies, licensees under SIBA and public, professional and private mutual funds; (ii) a company, any securities of which are listed on a recognised exchange; and (iii) persons defined as “professional investors” under SIBA, which is any person (a) whose ordinary business involves, whether for that person’s own account or the account of others, the acquisition or disposal of property of the same kind as the property, or a substantial part of the property of the Company; or (b) who has signed a declaration that he, whether individually or jointly with his spouse, has net worth in excess of US$1,000,000 and that he consents to being treated as a professional investor.

Notice to prospective investors in China

This prospectus does not constitute a public offer of shares, whether by sale or subscription, in the People’s Republic of China, or the PRC. The shares are not being offered or sold directly or indirectly in the PRC to or for the benefit of, legal or natural persons of the PRC.

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Further, no legal or natural persons of the PRC may directly or indirectly purchase any of the shares or any beneficial interest therein without obtaining all prior PRC’s governmental approvals that are required, whether statutorily or otherwise. Persons who come into possession of this document are required by the issuer and its representatives to observe these restrictions.

Notice to prospective investors in Korea

The shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Investments Services and Capital Markets Act of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder, or the FSCMA, and the shares have been and will be offered in Korea as a private placement under the FSCMA. None of the shares may be offered, sold or delivered directly or indirectly, or offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Korea or to any resident of Korea except pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea, including the FSCMA and the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder, or the FETL. Furthermore, the purchaser of the shares shall comply with all applicable regulatory requirements (including but not limited to requirements under the FETL) in connection with the purchase of the shares. By the purchase of the shares, the relevant holder thereof will be deemed to represent and warrant that if it is in Korea or is a resident of Korea, it purchased the shares pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea.

Notice to prospective investors in Malaysia

No prospectus or other offering material or document in connection with the offer and sale of the shares has been or will be registered with the Securities Commission of Malaysia, or Commission for the Commission’s approval pursuant to the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other

document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Malaysia other than (i) a closed end fund approved by the Commission; (ii) a holder of a Capital Markets Services Licence; (iii) a person who acquires the shares, as principal, if the offer is on terms that the shares may only be acquired at a consideration of not less than RM250,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) for each transaction; (iv) an individual whose total net personal assets or total net joint assets with his or her spouse exceeds RM3 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), excluding the value of the primary residence of the individual; (v) an individual who has a gross annual income exceeding RM300,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) per annum in the preceding twelve months; (vi) an individual who, jointly with his or her spouse, has a gross annual income of RM400,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), per annum in the preceding twelve months; (vii) a corporation with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in a foreign currencies) based on the last audited accounts; (viii) a partnership with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies); (ix) a bank licensee or insurance licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; (x) an Islamic bank licensee or takaful licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; and (xi) any other person as may be specified by the Commission; provided that, in the each of the preceding categories (i) to (xi), the distribution of the shares is made by a holder of a Capital Markets Services Licence who carries on the business of dealing in securities. The distribution in Malaysia of this prospectus is subject to Malaysian laws. This prospectus does not constitute and may not be used for the purpose of public offering or an issue, offer for subscription or purchase, invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities requiring the registration of a prospectus with the Commission under the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.

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Notice to prospective investors in Taiwan

The shares have not been and will not be registered with the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations and may not be sold, issued or offered within Taiwan through a public offering or in circumstances which constitutes an offer within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of Taiwan that requires a registration or approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorised to offer, sell, give advice regarding or otherwise intermediate the offering and sale of the shares in Taiwan.

Notice to prospective investors in South Africa

Due to restrictions under the securities laws of South Africa, the shares are not offered, and the offer shall not be transferred, sold, renounced or delivered, in South Africa or to a person with an address in South Africa, unless one or other of the following exemptions applies:

No “offer to the public” (as such term is defined in the South African Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008 (as amended or re-enacted), or the South African Companies Act) in South Africa is being made in connection with the issue of the shares. Accordingly, this document does not, nor is it intended to, constitute a “registered prospectus” (as that term is defined in the South African Companies Act) prepared and registered under the South African Companies Act and has not been approved by, and/or filed with, the South African Companies and Intellectual Property Commission or any other regulatory authority in South Africa. Any issue or offering of the shares in South Africa constitutes an offer of the shares in South Africa for subscription or sale in South Africa only to persons who fall within the exemption from “offers to the public” set out in section 96(1)(a) of the South African Companies Act. Accordingly, this document must not be acted on or relied on by persons in South Africa who do not fall within section 96(1)(a) of the South African Companies Act (such persons being referred to as “SA Relevant Persons”). Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available in South Africa only to SA Relevant Persons and will be engaged in South Africa only with SA relevant persons.

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Legal matters

The validity of the issuance of our common stock offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, 1000 Marsh Road, Menlo Park, California 94025. Latham & Watkins LLP, 140 Scott Drive, Menlo Park, California 94025, is acting as counsel for the underwriters in connection with this offering. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and certain attorneys and investment funds affiliated with the firm own 38,041 shares of our common stock.

Experts

The financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2018 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

Where you can find more information

We have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to this offering of our common stock. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, some items of which are contained in exhibits to the registration statement or incorporated by reference as permitted by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. For further information with respect to us and our common stock, we refer you to the registration statement, including the exhibits and the financial statements and notes filed as a part of the registration statement and the documents incorporated by reference herein. Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete. If a contract or document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit. The exhibits to the registration statement should be referenced for the complete contents of these contracts and documents. The Securities and Exchange Commission maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information about issuers, like us, that file electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The address of that website is www.sec.gov.

We are subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with this law, will file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These periodic reports, proxy statements and other information will be available at the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission referred to above.

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Incorporation of certain information by reference

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information from other documents that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. Information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part the information or documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC:

We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference, including exhibits to these documents. You should direct any requests for documents to Twist Bioscience Corp., 455 Mission Bay Boulevard South, Suite 545, San Francisco, CA 94158. Copies of the above reports may also be accessed on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or our web site at http://www.twistbioscience.com.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus will be deemed modified, superseded or replaced for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus modifies, supersedes or replaces such statement. We have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to this offering of our common stock. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, some items of which are contained in this prospectus modifies, supersedes or replaces such statement.

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3,750,000 shares

Common stock

Prospectus

Joint book running managers

May 8, 2019