Proceeds to Enable Commercialization and Scale-Up of Unique RNA Sequencing Technology.
Alithea Genomics, a fast-growing, emerging leader in the field of RNA sequencing and transcriptomics analysis, announced today the closing of a CHF 1 million seed financing round led by the Novalis Biotech Acceleration fund, with participation of Swiss-based private investors.
Alithea has developed a proprietary technology called Bulk RNA Barcoding and sequencing (BRB-seq), which enables the preparation of hundreds of RNA samples for sequencing in a single tube. RNA sequencing examines the quantity and sequences of RNA in a biological sample using next-generation sequencing (NGS). This data specifies which of the genes encoded in DNA are turned on or off, and to what extent, e.g., in a diseased cell or in response to a drug. The traditional preparation of samples for RNA sequencing is expensive and time consuming due to the large amounts of reagents and manual operations that are typically required.
By drastically decreasing the cost and time associated with library preparation for RNA sequencing, Alithea believes the BRB-seq technology will be an essential tool in already existing biomedical research sectors but also in new RNA-dependent application fields.
The proceeds of the financing will be used to expand the commercialization and scale-up of its new products, MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq and MERCURIUS™ Blood BRB-seq, a revolutionary approach to enable effective RNA sequencing from blood samples.