Karius is a global leader in liquid biopsy for infectious diseases that harnesses metagenomics, next‑generation sequencing and AI to deliver the Karius Test, a blood‑based assay that identifies more than 1,000 pathogens. The Karius Test is used in over 400 U.S. healthcare institutions, including 90+ transplant centers and 40+ children’s hospitals, and typically returns results within a day of sample receipt. Karius plans to use the $100M Series C to expand access to the Karius Test beyond the hospital setting and to support research into broader health implications of its microbial cell‑free DNA technology. Company leadership has cited strong revenue and growth and said the funding will help scale commercialization and move toward profitability. Clinical evidence cited in the announcement includes the PICKUP1 trial in 257 hospitalized adults with pneumonia and hematologic malignancies, where the Karius Test detected 40% more infections and had potential to change management in 81% of those additional cases. A separate large study found detection of 701 unique microbial taxa across 15,000 patients, underscoring the test’s diagnostic breadth. Karius develops a blood-based diagnostic that extracts microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA) from plasma, sequences it using Illumina technology, and applies machine learning to identify pathogens. The test, processed at Karius’ Redwood City facility, reports organisms detected in statistically significant amounts and typically returns results the day after specimen receipt. Karius says it can detect more than 1,250 potential pathogens, including infections missed by conventional methods, and charges around $2,000 per test. Its lab is CLIA-certified and accredited by the College of American Pathologists; testing is available in all U.S. states, with licenses in California, Pennsylvania, Florida, Rhode Island, and Maryland, and New York requiring a restricted permit. Founders Mickey Kertesz and Tim Blauwkamp, who previously worked together at Moleculo, say early access program data show faster and more accurate diagnoses, and the company plans to broaden availability in the coming months. Karius is a Redwood City, CA–based life science company focused on infectious disease diagnostics using genomics and data. Led by CEO Mickey Kertesz, the company uses next-generation sequencing to analyze microbial cell-free DNA. Its plasma-based next-generation sequencing test enables precise, broad-based detection of 1,000+ bacteria, DNA viruses, fungi, molds, and protozoa from a single non-invasive blood draw. Karius delivers results through a CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified laboratory service to empower clinicians to diagnose infections and target treatments. Financially, the company received a $25 million senior secured facility from Oxford Finance. Karius will use the funds to expand the technology to more hospitals and patients, invest in additional clinical studies, and fund additional technology and product innovations. Backers include Data Collective, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Tencent, Khosla Ventures, Innovation Endeavors and Spectrum 28. Karius develops the Karius Digital Culture test, which applies next-generation sequencing, machine learning, and proprietary genomics algorithms to detect microbial cell-free DNA from a standard blood draw. The test identifies cell-free DNA fragments from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other eukaryotic pathogens and can detect more than 1,250 pathogens, typically delivering results within one business day. Karius operates a CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified laboratory service and recently expanded into a new 25,000-square-foot facility to increase laboratory space and processing capacity. Clinical results from the company’s early access program reportedly demonstrate more rapid and more accurate diagnoses, enabling clinicians to devise more targeted treatment plans. The company plans to broaden availability of its technology in the coming months while supporting drug development applications. Financially, Karius announced a $50 million Series A equity financing to support ongoing and new clinical trials, scale up laboratory capacity, and advance commercialization of the test.

Total raised

$340M

Funding rounds

4

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

May 2024