Phase Genomics develops proximity ligation technology and the ProxiMeta-powered global phage atlas to enable chromosome-scale genome assembly, microbiome discovery, and analysis of genomic variation. The company provides laboratory and computational products and services, including sample kits and metagenome assembly and analysis software. Its phage interactome atlas contains hundreds of thousands of host-resolved phage genomes and is being used to discover lysin-based antimicrobial candidates. With $1.5M in new funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Phase Genomics is building a platform to develop lysins that target Campylobacter infections and methanogenic archaea in ruminants to help reduce methane emissions. The year-long project includes a collaboration with Lumen Bioscience to assess lysin bioactivity in a scalable microbial expression system. Founded in 2015 and based in Seattle, the company aims to translate its phage database into targeted therapeutics to address antibiotic resistance and environmental biothreats. Phase Genomics develops proximity ligation–based genomic tools and software (including the ProxiMeta platform and Hi-C kits) to enable chromosome-scale assemblies and metagenomic deconvolution. Its proprietary technology captures virus–host interactions directly within microbial communities without culturing, producing a large phage–bacteria interactome repository. The company offers laboratory services and computational analysis to accelerate discovery of phages and link mobile genetic elements to hosts. With new funding it intends to build an AI-driven predictive engine to identify therapeutic phages and to assemble a global phage atlas. Planned downstream uses include phage-based therapies for C. difficile, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease, as well as improved wastewater monitoring for resistant pathogens. A recent Nature Biotechnology study using ProxiMeta demonstrated identification of hundreds of novel phage–host associations in a single sample, underscoring the platform’s discovery power. Phase Genomics develops proximity-ligation (Hi-C) laboratory kits, services, and computational software to enable chromosome-scale genome assembly, metagenomic deconvolution, and analysis of structural genomic variation. The company offers a portfolio of laboratory and computational products as well as scientific services and industry-leading assembly and analysis software. It is adapting high-throughput proximity ligation to cytogenomics to detect large chromosomal rearrangements and improve diagnostics in fertility, cancer, and genetic disorders. Phase Genomics received two three-year NIH FastTrack SBIR grants to develop proximity-ligation-based karyotyping methods for diverse human samples. Management says the company aims to commercialize these methods into diagnostic applications for the growing cytogenetics market (estimated at $3.8B by 2025). The business is funded by grant awards and revenue from sales of its kits, services, and computational analysis. Phase Genomics spun out of the University of Washington’s Genome Sciences department and launched in 2015. The company combines a proprietary wet‑lab technique with a cloud‑based data analysis engine to link DNA fragments that were physically close in cells, enabling assembly of complete genomes from mixed samples. Its tools have been used on plants, birds, mammals (their first complete genome was a goat) and numerous bacteria, and the company reports three products and services already on the market with more planned. The sample‑to‑results workflow takes roughly a week. Phase Genomics says it bootstrapped into a revenue‑generating company before taking outside funding and is currently hiring to scale operations. It plans to remain on the UW campus in CoMotion Labs’ Fluke Hall.

Total raised

$12M

Funding rounds

5

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Mar 2024