SAN DIEGO– Arima Genomics, Inc., the leader in 3D genomics, today announced the close of its $7 million Series B Preferred Stock financing round. New investors Genetron Health (NASDAQ: GTH), Tech Coast Angels, Ladder Ventures, and Hiaqua Investments were joined by existing investors Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A), Co-win Ventures, Vectr Ventures, and Berkeley Catalyst Fund in partnering with the company to support its long-term growth and commercial expansion.
Arima Genomics’ technologies provide three-dimensional information about the genome. While most DNA sequencing methods provide linearized DNA data, those approaches do not capture critical DNA structural information. By connecting DNA sequence and structural data, Arima Genomics’ technologies can reveal new biological insights that are indispensable in a diverse set of applications, including helping researchers understand disease mechanisms needed to develop and optimize therapeutic approaches such as cell- and gene-based therapies.
“The increased adoption of 3D genomics indicates the value the life science community sees in understanding the physical organization of genes and how that organization works to drive function and disease,” said Darlene Solomon, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Agilent Technologies. “Arima Genomics’ solutions help us to better understand this important structural layer of biology and the genetic underpinnings of diseases. This, in turn, helps researchers in the identification of important biomarkers.”
“We see great promise in Arima Genomics’ 3D genomic technologies, especially in emerging precision oncology applications,” said Hai Yan, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Genetron Health. “Arima Genomics’ relationship with its more than 600 global customers is a testament to both its humble, science-led culture and the applicability of its product portfolio in driving discovery in critical clinical research programs.”
The funds will support an acceleration of innovation to expand the company’s product portfolio and bioinformatics capabilities to serve a broader spectrum of scientific and translational medicine applications. The funds will also be used to scale the organization to enhance operational and commercial capacity worldwide.
“The body of evidence surrounding the importance of genome structure in health and disease continues to grow – after all, unlike sequence, the structure is highly dynamic both spatially and temporally. Customers have leveraged our technology and published more than 200 peer-reviewed studies advancing the understanding of cancer, neurobiology, immunology, and other complex diseases,” said Siddarth Selvaraj, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Arima Genomics. “As the importance of genomic structure as a driver of disease becomes better understood, we are well-positioned to support emerging research, drug discovery, and translational applications.”
