Avant Genomics Raises $3M to Automate Liquid Biopsy Sample Prep
Avant has also received a $305,000 Small Business Innovation Research Phase I grant from the National Science Foundation.
Avant Genomics, a University of Virginia spin-out developing automated sample preparation tools for liquid biopsy, has raised more than $3 million to advance its platform.
TitletownTech, Halyard Ventures, Virginia Venture Partners, CAV Angels, Global Impact Fund, and additional angel investors and family offices participated in the round. In a statement, the company said proceeds will support R&D, manufacturing, and additional hires.
“Liquid biopsy is only as reliable as its sample preparation. We’re building a platform that standardizes the preparation workflow so results are consistent and scalable, unlocking broader use in clinical settings,” Avant CEO and cofounder Rachelle Turiello said in a statement.
Charlottesville, Virginia-based Avant is commercializing the Source platform, which is designed to automate preparation of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from blood samples ahead of liquid biopsy analysis. Liquid biopsy — a blood-based approach to detecting tumor-derived DNA — relies on extracting cfDNA before downstream testing can occur. That preparation step is currently performed manually across most labs, involving many steps; inconsistent handling can reduce cfDNA recovery and compromise the reliability of results.
The Avant Source platform is designed to collapse that workflow to two steps, while improving DNA yield and cutting processing time. The company holds exclusive IP developed at the University of Virginia.
“We invested in Avant because the future of diagnostics and personalized medicine depends on automation,” said Jill Enos, TitletownTech Managing Partner, said in a statement. “As technology advances, what labs are capable of is moving faster than the workflows supporting them. Avant is helping close that gap by bringing consistency and scalability to a step that has historically limited the field.”
Avant has also received a $305,000 Small Business Innovation Research Phase I grant from the National Science Foundation to automate bisulfite conversion for methylation analysis by sequencing.