NuProbe, a US-based medical diagnostics technology developer, has been spun out from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering with $11m in series A funding.

The series A round was co-led by Sequoia Capital China, an affiliate of VC firm Sequoia Capital, and hedge fund manager Serica Partners. It also featured WuXi AppTec Corporate Ventures, healthcare group WuXi AppTec’s corporate venturing unit.

NuProbe has developed a molecular blood test that helps medical researchers promptly detect rare genetic variants that could be indicative of diseases such as cancer. The test works by identifying malignant instances of cell-free DNA lurking within blood plasma.

The series A capital will fund hiring, as NuProbe looks to bolster its headcount across offices in the US and China, as well as product development, clinical trials and the commercialisation of its technology.

NuProbe was co-founded by Peng Yin, core faculty member of the Wyss Institute and professor of systems biology at Harvard Medical School, who collaborated with his former postdoctoral fellow David Zhang, now Ted Law Jr assistant professor of bioengineering at Rice University.

Victor Shi, managing partner of Serica as well as former founding president of assay technologies provider Qiagen Asia Pacific and a former faculty member at National University of Singapore School of Medicine, is also a co-founder and will act as chief executive.

Yin said: “NuProbe’s vision is to pioneer technology innovation to advance human health.

“Its core technology enables effective probing of subtle disease signatures, such as rare mutations in cancer. We aspire to expand the reach of precision medicine with transformative innovations.”

– A version of this article first appeared on our sister site, Global Corporate Venturing.

US-based medical diagnostics technology developer NuProbe has received $11m in a series A round featuring WuXi AppTec Corporate Ventures, healthcare group WuXi AppTec’s corporate venturing unit.

Sequoia Capital China, an affiliate firm of venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, co-led the round with hedge fund manager Serica Partners.

NuProbe has developed a molecular blood test that helps medical researchers promptly detect rare genetic variants that could be indicative of diseases such as cancer. The test works by identifying malignant instances of cell-free DNA lurking within blood plasma.

The series A capital will fund hiring, as NuProbe looks to bolster its headcount across offices in the US and China, as well as product development, clinical trials and the commercialisation of its technology.

NuProbe licensed the technology from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and Rice University. It has not disclosed any earlier funding.

Peng Yin, professor of systems biology at Wyss Institute and Harvard Medical School, and co-founder of NuProbe, said: “NuProbe’s vision is to pioneer technology innovation to advance human health.

“Its core technology enables effective probing of subtle disease signatures, such as rare mutations in cancer. We aspire to expand the reach of precision medicine with transformative innovations.”