Accunome Raises ￥100M in Series A2 Financing

(VCBeat) Feb. 9, 2021 -- Jiaxing Aikenuo Biotechnology Co., Ltd. ("Accunome") closed a Series A2 financing of nearly 100 million RMB from Innovation Works. Accunome has previously received investments from CD Capital, ZhenFund and Chuang Capital. The funding will be used for the clinical trials, NMPA applications and type change of instruments and reagents.

Accunome, was founded in July 2018 in Zhejiang by two returnees, Dr. Yang Xing and Dr. Xiao Guohua. Accunome has set up R&D centers in San Diego and Shanghai, with complete molecular biology facilities and laboratories, focusing on the automation of molecular diagnostic laboratories, and developing the automated nucleic acid testing platform for testing laboratories, as well as a series of test kits for clinical diagnosis of severe infectious diseases.

The novel coronavirus brings PCR testing to the public and accelerates the development of fully automated and integrated PCR devices, making fully automated PCR a hot track in molecular diagnosis.

As early as 20 years ago, the founder of Accunome, Dr. Yang Xing, began to study automated PCR. After receiving her PhD from Caltech, Dr. Yang joined Geneohm Sciences, founded by Jacqueline K. Barton, a professor of chemistry at Caltech, as the first employee. At that time, they were the first company in the world to use PCR in molecular diagnostics to diagnose MRSA infection, and also the first company in the world to make the kit and obtain FDA approval.

Accunome aims to provide new tools for clinical clinicians to perform rapid clinical tests. Dr. Yang Xing stressed that the company should develop automatic PCR machines, but not POCT devices for molecular diagnosis.

Currently, Accunome has developed a PCR machine that fully integrates sample preparation, amplification, and testing. It can detect 12 samples at the same time, and can detect 16 targets in each sample. Results can be obtained in less than an hour. The first-generation product has been developed and is about to start clinical trials and apply for registration.

Sinovation Ventures is a leading Chinese technology venture capital, started in 2009 by a team led by Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, with presences in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. It currently manages over $2B AUM between seven USD and RMB funds in total, and over 350 portfolio companies across the technology spectrum in China. The company invests in start-ups at the seed, Series A and Series B stages.