A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting startups globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – DIAGNOSTICS
- Veritas Genetics, which offers personal genomics services for under $1000, closes $30M Series B round. Link
- LPixel, artificial intelligence-based image analysis tools developer, raises US$7 million in Series A round. Link
- QuantuMDx, focused on developing a handheld molecular laboratory, raises £2.0 Million in series A round. Link
- STAT-Diagnostica, developer of the DiagCore integrated diagnostic system, closes an extension of Series C round with Siemens Ventures as a new investor. Link
- Helix, Illumina’s personal genomics spin-out, receives funding from KPCB; also announces partnerships with National Geographic and Mount Sinai. Link; and with Invitae Link
- uBiome announces Series B investment by 8VC; launches clinical microbiomics screening test SmartGut as well. Link
- PierianDx acquires Tute Genomics, which develops cloud-based solution for genome guided medicine. Link
- IBM Watson enters into a partnership with German hospital system Rhön -Klinikum AG for a pilot project on rare disease diagnosis. Link
- Roche receives approval for Ventana’s PDL1 companion diagnostic assay for Tecentriq. Link
- NantHealth’s Cancer GPS Test scores reimbursement from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. Link
- The Blood Profiling Atlas project announced under the Cancer Moonshot Project; aims to develop common standards for liquid biopsies. Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
Molecular Stethoscope (2015, San Diego) Develops diagnostic tests for circulating cell-free RNA. Co-founded by Eric Topol, director of Scripps Translational Science Institute.
LEADER BOARD – DIAGNOSTICS
Oncology
Foundation Medicine (2010, Cambridge, $89.5M, Acq.) – Develops clinical assays for comprehensive genetic profiling for solid tumors and hematological malignancies to tailor personalized treatment regimens for patients. Backed by Google Ventures, KPCB, Third Rock Ventures; Roche owns a majority stake.
Biocartis (2007, Lausanne, IPO) – Develops in vitro molecular diagnostic platforms for multiplexed detection of bio-analytes in tissue samples. Backed by Debiopharm, J&J Development Corporation, Philips, The Wellcome Trust. Went public in 2015.
NantHealth (2007, Culver City, IPO) – Combines molecular medicine and bioinformatics with technology services to enable personalized therapies for cancer and other diseases. Part of billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong’s NantWorks system. Backed by the Kuwait government, Blackberry, Celgene, AllScripts.
Adaptive Biotechnologies (2008, Seattle, $404M) – Develops high-throughput immunosequencing technologies, first application being fordiagnosis of minimal residual disease in blood cancers. Backed by Viking Global, Illumina, Celgene, Lab Corp, Rock Spring Capital.
Guardant Health (2012, Redwood City, $190M) – Develops biopsy-free cancer detection and treatments using digital sequencing technology. Backed by Sequoia, Khosla Ventures, Orbimed, Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Cardiovascular Disease
Acutus Medical (2011, San Diego, $157M) – Develops medical imaging technologies for the electrophysiological market; first product gives an ultrasound-based reconstruction of the heart to diagnose arrhythmias. Backed by Advent Life Sciences, Orbimed, GE Ventures, Xeraya, Deerfield Capital.
Immune Disease
Exagen Diagnostics (2002, Vista, $76M) – Rheumatology specialty company that focuses on the diagnosis and prognosis of autoimmune connective tissue diseases. Backed by Epic venture capital, vSpring Capital, Sun Mountain Capital.
Infectious disease
Oxford Immunotec (2002, Abingdon, IPO) – Proprietary T-SPOT platform that measures immune cell responses at a single cell level to detect infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and CMV even at low pathogen loads. Backed by Dow, Clarus Ventures, New Leaf Venture Partners, Spark Ventures. Went public in 2013.
Atlas Genetics (2005, Bristol UK, $76M) – Develops the microfluidic-based multiplex point-of-care system io™ to detect bacterial STDs and hospital acquired infections. Backed by J&J Development Corporation, Novartis, BB Biotech, Consort Medical, Life Science Venture Partners.
Reproductive Health
Natera (2004, Redwood City, IPO) – Specializes in pre-implantation genetic testing, conception testing and non-invasive prenatal diagnostics. Backed by Claremont Creek Ventures, Sequoia, Orbimed Advisors, Sofinnova Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners. Went public in 2015.
Sera Prognostics (2008, Salt Lake City, $50M) – Develops a proteomics tests for assessing risk of pre-term birth in expectant mothers. Backed by Domain Associates, Catalyst Health Ventures, Interwest and Upstart Capital.
CNS
Assurex Health (2006, Mason, $92M, Acq.) – Develops pharmacogenomics platforms for neuropsychiatric disorders. Backed by Mayo Clinic, Claremont Creek, Allos Ventures, Sequoia, GE Capital, jVen Capital.
Avid Radiopharmaceuticals (2005, Philadelphia, $70M, Acq.) – Specializes in molecular imaging agents for diagnosis of chronic diseases. Backed by Bioadvance, RK Ventures, Lilly Ventures, Safeguard Scientific, Pfizer. Acquired by Eli Lilly in 2010 for $800M.
Platform
SuperSonic Imagine (2005, Aix-en-Provence, IPO) – Develops ultrasound imaging platforms, with applications in women health, vascular, hepatology, gastroenterology and general imaging. Backed by NBGI Private Equity, Rothschild, Auriga Partners, Omnes Capital, Alto Invest. Went public in 2014.
Singulex (2003, Alamedia, $87M) – Specializes in single molecule counting technology and biomarker research for diagnostics. Backed by GE Capital, Advantage Capital, Prolog Ventures, Orbimed, Jafco.
Personalis (2011, Menlo Park, $75M) – Use proprietary databases, human reference sequences, and sophisticated algorithms to analyze genome scale information for clinical diagnostics. Backed by Mohr Davidow Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Abingworth.
Suite
23andMe (2006, Mountain View, $232M) – Provides direct-to-consumer service of gene indexing w.r.t. ancestry, genealogy, and inherited traits. Backed by J&J Development Corporation, NEA, Google Ventures, Illumina, Fidelity Investments, Mohr Davidow, MPM Capital.
SomaLogic (1999, Boulder, $169M) – Develops proteomics tools with applications in clinical diagnostics and life science research. Backed by Novartis, Gates Foundation, Visium Healthcare.
Pathway Genomics (2008, San Diego, $70M) – Develops genetic tests for cancer risk and drug responses. Backed by KCP Capital, Edelson Tech, Founders Fund, IBM.
Leaderboard includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
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