Karius Inc., a California-based health tech company focusing on genomic diagnostics in Infectious disease, has secured $100 million in Series C funding to expand its reach across the United States.
According to the company’s announcement on Thursday, May 2, 2024, the funding round was co-led by Khosla Ventures, alongside new investors Gilde Healthcare and 5AM Ventures.
Other companies that participated in the round include Seventure Partners—a new investor, alongside other existing investors, including General Catalyst, Softbank Vision Fund 2, HBM Healthcare Investments, Innovation Endeavors, Blue Water Life Sciences, and Waycross Ventures, among others.
With 400 hospitals across the United States currently using the Company’s AI-backed Karius Test® capable of detecting over 1,000 infectious pathogens in a single sample through genomic analysis and artificial intelligence, the new funding will enable it to expand services to more health facilities and beyond hospital settings.
Additionally, the capital will support the Company’s research into the broader implications of Karius’ microbial cell-free DNA technology beyond the current infectious diseases.
Leveraging the power of AI, Karius’s test can reduce the time required to identify causes of infectious diseases such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses within a short time, potentially saving more lives due to timely treatment.
As part of the latest developments, Karius also announced the three board members recently appointed to join its team. The new members include Alex Morgan, M.D., PhD, Partner at Khosla Ventures, Joep Muijrers, PhD, General Partner at Gilde Healthcare, and Andrew Booth, Venture Advisor to 5AM Ventures, and CFO of AbCellera Biologics.
The new members join Dr. Norman Sharpless M.D., former National Cancer Institute Head, and Elizabeth O’Farrell, former Eli Lilly executive, who recently joined the Company’s team.
