A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting startups globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – DIAGNOSTICS
- Omicia, developer of clinical genome interpretation software, raises $23M Series B, from UPMC, Roche, LDV Partners, along with returning investors. Link
- Liquid biopsy company Freenome closes a $5.5M Series A round, led by Andreessen Horowitz. Link
- Owlstone Medical, which develops breath-based screening tests for cancer, closes a $7M round of financing. Link
- NeuroVision Imaging, developer of diagnostics solutions for Alzheimer’s disease, raises $5M in Series B financing. Link
- Perthera, a precision diagnostics company for cancer, closes a $8.7M Series A round. Link
- Spirometrix, which develops point-of-care breathalyzers, raises $17.4M Series C. Link
- Philips acquires digital pathology company PathXL for an undisclosed amount. Link
- Foundation Medicine and AstraZeneca sign a deal to develop companion diagnostics for ovarian cancer. Link
- UPenn to lead consortium with $10.8M in NIH grant funding to study genetic basis of Alzheimer’s. Link
- France jumps on the precision medicine bandwagon; announce a $670M initiative to support genomics and personalized medicine. Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
PreDxion Bio (2016, Ann Arbor, Undisclosed) – Diagnostics for immune profiling using fingerprick blood samples. Spun-out from University of Michigan.
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
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
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.
Assurex Health (2006, Mason, $92M) – Develops pharmacogenomics platforms for neuropsychiatric disorders. Backed by Mayo Clinic, Claremont Creek, Allos Ventures, Sequoia, GE Capital, jVen Capital.
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.
For latest updates visit Diagnostics (by Disease) and Diagnostics (by Technology) feeds.