DiaCarta, Ltd Raises $45 Million USD Series B Funding to Expand Its Liquid Biopsy Cancer Detection Platform & Services
DiaCarta has announced that it has completed its Series B funding round, realizing a total of $45.0M USD. The second closing was led by Fortune Fountain Capital (FFC) and was also subscribed to by Good Health Capital (GHC).
Commenting on the announcement, Aiguo (Adam) Zhang, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of DiaCarta, stated, “The Series B financing will support the Company’s core XNA technology platform for early cancer detection, expanding our diagnostic products for non-invasive early detection and monitoring of cancers. In addition, we will be strengthening our comprehensive IP position, expanding further into global markets with concomitant applications for FDA and CFDA certifications. DiaCarta is very pleased to add FFC and GHC to our family who shares our vision to build a world-leading molecular diagnostic company that will impact patient health.”
The funds raised in this financing round will be used to drive profitable growth in the following areas:
- Setting up global clinical study programs for non-Invasive Early Cancer detection to include Recurrence and Monitoring indications;
- The commercial launch of ColoScape™, a highly sensitive in vitro diagnostic assay for the detection of colorectal cancer in liquid biopsy and tissue samples;
- Expansion of product development pipeline to include a range of gene mutation and fusion panels using core technology platforms in DNA low frequency mutation detection; and a highly sensitive next generation of multiplexing HPV (Human papillomavirus) genotyping E6/E7 mRNA test, etc;
- Expansion of DiaCarta’s CLIA & OptiSeq™ Next Generation Sequencing offerings;
- Strengthening core IP position and applications for FDA and CFDA certifications for relevant tests;
- Expansion of commercial team and relevant support roles to meet the demands and challenges of a growing product portfolio within global market channels.
About DiaCarta:
DiaCarta’s mission is to provide its customers with molecular diagnostic tests and NGS services that are reliable, highly sensitive, low cost, and work with both tissue and liquid biopsy samples that impact treatment plans that strive to improve the well-being of patients.
DiaCarta is focused on genomic innovation through detection and amplification technologies headquartered in Richmond, California. The company has an ISO 13485-certified facility, which is used to develop, manufacture and market a range of cancer research and IVD products. DiaCarta specializes in genomic testing for biomarkers and offers clinical sample testing services in a CLIA-certified laboratory. In addition, the company has a clinical service laboratory in Nanjing, China. QClamp® and OptiSeq™ are patented xeno nucleic acid (XNA™) based technologies that enable highly sensitive detection of actionable mutations using qPCR and next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms on challenging patient specimens. Other XNA applications include CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing event screening and adapter dimer removal for NGS library preparation. To learn more, visit https://www.diacarta.com.
Technology Platform
The novel QClamp® Xeno-Nucleic Acid (XNA™) clamping technology has solved the interference bottleneck of wild-type DNA in gene mutation detection and has successfully enhanced the sensitivity and specificity in the detection process, especially in the liquid biopsy field. The technology can be widely used in quantitative PCR (qPCR), gene chip, nanotechnology and all generations of NGS platforms and is underpinned by over 80 patents.
DiaCarta Receives Accreditation by the College of American Pathologists (CAP)
DiaCarta, Ltd. (“DiaCarta”), a novel molecular diagnostic test developer for cancer and infectious diseases, today announced that it has received accreditation by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) for its CLIA certified lab. This accreditation is awarded to facilities that meet the high standards of quality, accuracy, and consistency in laboratory services required by CAP and underscores DiaCarta’s leadership and commitment to excellence.
DiaCarta Announces Five Abstracts Accepted for Presentation at AACR Annual Meeting 2023
DiaCarta, Ltd. (“DiaCarta”), a precision molecular diagnostics company, today announced that it will present five data posters at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2023, which convenes in Orlando, Florida from April 14-19, 2023.
DiaCarta Receives U.S. FDA Emergency Use Authorization for its Monkeypox Test Kit
DiaCarta, Ltd. (“DiaCarta”), a precision molecular diagnostics company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its QuantiVirus™ MPXV test, which is a PCR test for the qualitative detection of DNA from monkeypox virus (MPXV) in lesion swabs collected from individuals suspected of monkeypox infection.
DiaCarta Announces Successful Completion of Oncuria® Validation Study with Nonagen Bioscience
DiaCarta, Ltd. (“DiaCarta”), a precision molecular diagnostics company, and Nonagen Bioscience Corporation (“Nonagen”), a cancer diagnostics company, today announced the successful completion of the validation study of Oncuria® multiplex bladder cancer immunoassay as a laboratory developed test (“LDT”). DiaCarta also announced that it has begun receiving patient urine samples for testing in its CLIA certified lab in Pleasanton, California.
DiaCarta to Become a Publicly Listed Company Through Merger with HH&L Acquisition Co.
DiaCarta, Ltd., a precision molecular diagnostics company and developer of novel oncology and infectious disease tests, and HH&L Acquisition Co. (NYSE: HHLA.U, HHLA, HHLA WS) (“HH&L”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), today announced that they entered into a definitive business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”) that is expected to result in DiaCarta becoming a publicly listed company (the “Transaction” or “Business Combination”). The Transaction is expected to provide DiaCarta with access to the approximately $414 million cash from HH&L’s IPO proceeds held in trust, assuming no redemptions by HH&L’s shareholders and prior to the payment of transaction expenses, and potential additional financing to catalyze DiaCarta’s growth. The Transaction implies a pre-money equity value of $460 million for DiaCarta on a fully diluted basis and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023. The Transaction positions DiaCarta to capitalize on significant future growth within existing and new markets.