Atrandi Biosciences Secures Funding and Advances Global Commercialization of Next-Gen Single Cell Analysis Technology
March 28 2023 - 6:00AM
Business Wire
- $4.8 million funding from Vsquared Ventures, Practica Capital
and Metaplanet, bringing total funding to over $8 million
- New capital will support a worldwide commercial organisation,
enabling a direct U.S. presence
- Launch of new semi-permeable capsule technology to unlock
breakthroughs in scientific discovery and innovation
Backed by international investors, Atrandi Biosciences is
establishing a direct team to support customers in the U.S. and
advancing the global commercialization of its breakthrough
microfluidic and single-cell analysis technologies.
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Atrandi Biosciences is empowering
discoveries by providing powerful and accessible molecular analysis
tools that allow scientists to explore a single cell with
unprecedented precision and depth. (Photo: Business Wire)
Following a $4.8 million funding round led by Vsquared Ventures
and completed by Practica Capital and Metaplanet, the microfluidics
specialist will provide researchers around the world with the tools
and support to accelerate scientific discovery and innovation, from
individualised treatment for cancer patients to new and effective
therapies for a wide range of other diseases.
"Over twenty years after the human genome was sequenced, science
still lacks a fundamental understanding of biology. The main
barrier has been the lack of high-throughput, viable technology to
culture, manipulate and rigorously analyse biological samples at
the level of individual cells," said Juozas Nainys, PhD, Chief
Executive Officer of Atrandi Biosciences. "With our new
semi-permeable capsule technology, we overcome these limitations
and give scientists the tools necessary to fully unleash the
potential of single-cell experiments, next-generation genome
sequencing, AI-driven drug discovery or personalised medicine."
Innovations in microfluidics have enabled the study of blood,
tumors, pathogens, engineered cell lines, and other samples at
individual cell resolution. However, these studies lack the
necessary biological information content and scale to fully realise
the benefits. The limitations of conventional microfluidic
technologies include high cost, limited applicability to different
workflow types, and a limited number of single-cell data points
analysed.
With its proprietary semi-permeable capsule technology, Atrandi
delivers a next-generation platform that overcomes all these
bottlenecks. By delivering efficient and reliable molecular
analysis tools, embracing an open-source approach to assay designs
and consumables, and providing world-class scientific support, the
Atrandi team is therefore empowering researchers to drastically
improve their single-cell and single-molecule workflows.
Disrupting a multi-billion dollar market from
Lithuania
"Atrandi's breakthrough technology will not only disrupt the
existing multibillion-dollar liquid handling market, but open up
entirely new applications, from personalised oncology to
cell-therapy research," said Lise Rechsteiner, General Partner of
Vsquared Ventures. "In doing so, Atrandi can build on its
well-oiled commercial business and the decades of experience of a
team of top scientists. We are excited to support the innovators at
Atrandi in the next phase of their evolution as they expand their
global presence into the U.S.''
Founded in 2016 by Harvard-trained pioneers in single-cell
genomics under the former name Droplet Genomics, Atrandi has its
global headquarters in Vilnius, Lithuania, the home country of its
founders and an emerging deep tech hub. The company is firmly
rooted in the local ecosystem of innovative start-ups, established
biotech corporations, renowned universities and research
institutions and already supplies international customers with its
high-throughput screening platform Styx and its droplet generator
Onyx.
"Usually, top researchers trained at European universities leave
Europe to start companies in the United States. In Atrandi's case,
it was the other way around. The team were trained at the best U.S.
universities before deciding to start their business out of
Vilnius," says Donatas Keras, Partner at Practica Capital. "This
shows how attractive the Lithuanian and European ecosystem has
become for entrepreneurs who want to build a global player. It is a
testament to the talent and potential of our local ecosystem. Being
the first investors in the company and partnering early with such a
talented team with roots in our country is a source of immense
pride. We look forward to their continued success solving some of
the world's most pressing health challenges."
Given the significant improvements over conventional technology
and the versatility of its new semi-permeable capsule technology,
Atrandi intends to massively strengthen its market position. “The
upcoming launch of our semi-permeable capsule technology offers a
unique opportunity for Atrandi to become synonymous with
microfluidics,” said Juozas Nainys. “In Lithuanian, Atrandi means
‘you discover’. And at Atrandi, we are dedicated to advancing
scientific discovery and innovation by delivering state-of-the-art
technologies and services that unlock the full potential of
single-cell genomics. With a steadfast commitment to excellence,
integrity, and innovation, we strive to be a trusted partner and
ally for scientists around the world as they work to unravel the
mysteries of biology.”
About Atrandi Biosciences
Atrandi Biosciences (www.atrandi.com) is an emerging developer
and provider of innovative microfluidic solutions for the life
sciences. Its novel technology platform enables new insights into
the biology of single cells, with immediate applications in
research and bio-molecular discovery. Atrandi’s systems are
installed in over 50 leading academic and commercial laboratories
globally with a rapid growth trajectory.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230328005412/en/
Juozas Nainys, CEO: juozas.nainys@atrandi.com Andy Watson, Board
Chair: andy.watson@atrandi.com Julie Ferguson, CG Life:
jferguson@cglife.com