Participated · Series G · Apr 2023

Epic Sciences develops and markets liquid‑biopsy diagnostics to guide therapy selection and monitor disease progression in prostate and breast cancers. Its flagship offering, DefineMBC, is a three‑component blood‑based biopsy that reports circulating tumor cell detection, HER2 and ER protein expression and single‑cell sequencing for ERBB2 amplification, alongside a 56‑gene plasma cell‑free DNA panel including ERBB2 and PIK3CA and tumor mutational burden. The company leverages proprietary cell analysis and cell‑free analysis in a CAP/CLIA‑accredited laboratory and provides Comprehensive Cancer Profiling to pharmaceutical partners and major cancer centers. Epic has delivered DefineMBC results to 700 patients and their oncologists through a Clinical Experience Program. In the past twelve months Epic raised $67 million across a $43M Series F and a $24M Series G to fund commercialization of DefineMBC. Proceeds are being used to build commercial infrastructure (sales, product marketing, customer service, medical affairs, payer markets and billing) and to generate additional concordance and outcomes data. Epic Sciences is a diagnostics company based in San Diego that develops and markets liquid biopsy tests and multi-omic cancer profiling to guide therapy selection and monitor disease progression in prostate and breast cancers. Its liquid biopsy platform combines proprietary cell analysis capabilities with cell-free DNA analysis to provide more complete, efficient cancer profiling. The company operates a full-service CAP/CLIA-accredited laboratory and provides research support services, partnering with pharmaceutical companies and major cancer centers worldwide. Epic's DefineMBC™ blood-based test for comprehensively characterizing metastatic breast cancer has been reporting patient results since April 2022 and uses multi-analyte methods to detect circulating tumor cells, assess protein expression (HER2, ER), determine intra-cell CNVs, and identify SNVs, indels, fusions, CNVs, MSI and TMB from plasma. The company plans to use the new capital to continue advancing its multi-omic platform and to expand operations in single-cell sequencing and data analytics infrastructure. Lloyd Sanders serves as President and CEO. Epic Sciences develops diagnostics and decision-support analytics that match patients’ individual cancer cells to individualized drug therapies using computer vision and machine learning. The company’s technology is aimed at prolonging life and reducing treatment costs by avoiding ineffective therapies. Epic is advancing oncology decision-support services in its pipeline and plans to accelerate clinical studies to validate and commercialize those offerings. Proceeds from the recent financing are expected to fund those clinical studies and support execution of its long-term growth plan. Epic is based in San Diego and positions its products for value-based, individualized cancer care. Epic Sciences, based in San Diego, develops blood-based liquid biopsy tests designed to predict drug response in cancer patients. Its core platform is the proprietary No Cell Left Behind technology and a portfolio of blood-based tests that characterize rare circulating cells using digital imaging and big data analytics. The company plans to use the funds to accelerate clinical studies for oncology tests in its pipeline and to enhance No Cell Left Behind to include characterization of rare leukocyte cell populations. These enhancements are intended to drive transformative insights into the cellular drivers of response or resistance to key drug classes such as immuno-oncology therapies. Epic recently partnered with Genomic Health to commercialize the OncotypeDx AR-V7 Nucleus Detect test and to leverage Genomic Health’s commercial channel and enterprise systems. Murali Prahalad, Ph.D., serves as president and CEO. Epic Sciences develops technology that enables comprehensive characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from a liquid biopsy to inform therapy selection and detect early signs of drug resistance. The company is led by Murali Prahalad, Ph.D., president and CEO. Epic offers products and offerings aimed at personalizing and advancing the treatment and management of cancer. The company expanded available capital under an existing credit facility, giving it optionality to accelerate expansion of research capabilities and product development efforts. The amended credit facility increases available capacity and extends the financing maturity, improving near‑term liquidity and runway for R&D. Epic is a private diagnostics company based in San Diego, CA.

Led · Series A · Jun 2022

Gemelli Biotech develops precision, non-invasive diagnostics for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and has launched two commercial products. Its trio-smart® breath test measures hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen sulfide to provide a more complete picture of gut health, and its ibs-smart® is a patented blood test for post-infectious IBS. Both tests were developed in partnership with the Medically Associated Science and Technology program at Cedars‑Sinai. The company plans to use new capital to accelerate commercialization, expand U.S. sales and marketing, and scale laboratory and manufacturing capacity. Gemelli also intends to grow its operational footprints in Raleigh and Los Angeles. The firm was founded in 2018 and focuses on enabling clinicians to more definitively detect validated biomarkers and optimize treatment for conditions including SIBO, IMO, excess hydrogen sulfide, and post-infectious IBS.

Led · Series E · May 2021

Sera Prognostics develops blood-based biomarker tests focused on maternal and neonatal health. Its first commercial product, the PreTRM® Test, is a clinically validated, commercially available blood-based biomarker test to accurately predict the risk of preterm birth. The company is led by Chairman and CEO Gregory C. Critchfield, M.D., M.S. Sera is building a pipeline of additional blood-based biomarker tests to predict other major pregnancy-related conditions beyond preterm birth. With the new financing the company plans to commercialize PreTRM® more broadly and accelerate development of its pipeline. It also intends to develop testing capacity to serve over 3 million annual U.S. pregnancies that are candidates for the PreTRM® Test. Sera Prognostics develops diagnostics to improve prenatal care by predicting individualized risk of preterm birth and other pregnancy complications. Its core product, the PreTRM test, is the only clinically-validated, commercially available biomarker blood test that assesses a woman’s individualized risk of premature delivery as early as 19 weeks' gestation. PreTRM measures proteins in the blood that are highly predictive of spontaneous preterm birth and is intended to enable earlier, more proactive clinical decisions designed to prolong gestation, improve neonatal health, and lower healthcare costs. The company plans to increase commercialization of PreTRM and to measure real-world clinical improvements and economic savings in collaboration with top health plans and providers. Sera is presented as a leading authority in biomarker preterm birth risk prediction, citing a key scientific publication in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Sera Prognostics is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sera Prognostics, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, develops women's health diagnostics aimed at improving outcomes for pregnant women and newborns. Its lead product, the PreTRM test, uses a routine second‑trimester blood sample to provide an early, individualized assessment of a woman's risk of preterm birth. The company planned to launch PreTRM in 2015; upon U.S. launch commercial testing will be performed at its CLIA laboratory with results returned to referring physicians. Sera received a $10M debt facility from Square 1 Bank and intends to use the proceeds to increase commercialization efforts. The PreTRM test is intended to enable physicians to better understand individualized preterm birth risk earlier in pregnancy and personalize care. Sera Prognostics develops tests to diagnose preterm birth and other pregnancy complications. The company is based in Salt Lake City, UT. Its lead product is a preterm birth diagnostic test that the company is preparing for commercial launch. The company plans to use newly raised funds for clinical trials and the commercial launch of that test. Sera raised $19.3M in a Series A financing to support these plans. As part of the financing, representatives from lead investors will join the company's board and the company appointed Gregory C. Critchfield, M.D. as CEO.