Precision medicine company Aqtual has raised $31 million in Series B funding to advance its novel active chromatin cell-free DNA (cfDNA) platform toward commercialization, with its first flagship product targeting therapy response prediction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The oversubscribed round included three new investors, Bold Capital and Bold Longevity Growth Fund, alongside previous investors Genoa Ventures, Manta Ray Ventures, and Yu Galaxy, plus a strategic investor in the diagnostics space.
Clinical Trial Progress in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Aqtual is currently conducting the PRIMA-102 prospective observational clinical trial (NCT05936970) for RA patients, which has enrolled more than 1,300 patients and delivered initial proof-of-concept data. The trial is expected to complete in Q4 2025, marking a critical milestone for the company's lead indication.
The clinical need for improved RA treatment selection is substantial. RA treatment remains highly individualized, with many patients cycling through multiple therapies before achieving disease control. In the U.S. alone, RA contributes over $19 billion annually in direct healthcare costs, excluding the broader burden of reduced quality of life, disability, and premature mortality.
Novel cfDNA Platform Technology
Aqtual's proprietary active chromatin cfDNA platform represents the first technology to integrate DNA, epigenetic regulation, and protein-DNA binding in a single, blood-based assay. The platform enables high-fidelity quantification of tissue-specific gene regulation directly from blood through integrated profiling of disease, microenvironment, and systemic immune response.
"Our platform uniquely captures the biology of chronic disease, enabling deeper insights to support more effective treatment planning strategies," said Diana Abdueva, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Aqtual. "With this funding, strengthened by backing from a strategic partner, we're positioned to advance our internal pipeline and forge new partnerships that extend the impact of our platform across disease areas."
Investor Confidence and Platform Validation
The funding round reflects growing confidence in Aqtual's technology platform and its potential applications beyond rheumatoid arthritis. Lawrence Barclay, Managing Partner at Manta Ray, highlighted the company's progress: "Over the past year, we've seen powerful signals of technical and early commercial validation – not only in their lead indication, but across a broad range of chronic diseases and cancers – demonstrating the platform's potential for wide-reaching impact in molecular diagnostics."
Broader Impact on cfDNA Diagnostics
According to CEO Diana Abdueva, this funding represents "a key inflection point for cfDNA diagnostics—not just for Aqtual, but for the broader field." The company's approach to integrating multiple molecular layers in a single assay could potentially transform how chronic diseases are diagnosed and monitored through liquid biopsy technologies.
The Series B funding positions Aqtual to advance toward commercialization of its RA therapy response prediction test while expanding applications of its platform technology across additional chronic diseases and oncology indications.
