Senseera, a company focused on liquid biopsy technology, has announced the successful completion of a $7.1 million seed funding round. The financing was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from I-Next Capital and the Lowy Medical Research Institute.
The funding will be used to advance Senseera's GEM BIOMARKERS™ platform, a liquid biopsy technology that uses cfChIP-seq to analyze cell-free chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data. This platform is designed to decode cell-specific gene expression and cell states from a simple blood draw, providing detailed molecular insights for diagnosing and monitoring diseases. The company states that this approach offers the precision of traditional biopsy-level insights with the convenience of a non-invasive blood test.
Technology and Applications
Senseera's technology is based on research led by Prof. Nir Friedman and has been validated in publications such as Nature Biotechnology. The company reports that its platform is supported by data from over 20,000 human samples, which has established a foundation for accelerating drug development and precision medicine in oncology, immunology, metabolic diseases, and liver diseases.
Liver diseases, which affect up to 25% of the global population, represent a significant focus for Senseera. Current diagnostic methods often rely on invasive biopsies or non-specific tests, which can lead to delayed diagnoses and suboptimal patient care. Senseera's platform aims to provide an innovative solution for the early detection and management of conditions such as MASLD/MASH (Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease/Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis), liver transplant rejection, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Development Plans
The newly acquired funds will be used to accelerate the market entry of Senseera's next-generation transplant rejection test, advance clinical trials, and expand partnerships with global biopharmaceutical companies. In addition to liver diseases, Senseera's platform is being developed for applications in cancer and immune disorders. By providing simultaneous monitoring of solid tissue and immune cell states, the platform aims to offer insights into tissue/tumor immune cross-talk, potentially enabling researchers and clinicians to better understand underlying mechanisms and support personalized treatments.
"This funding marks a major milestone in Senseera's journey to transform diagnostics for liver diseases and beyond, and to accelerate drug development," said Dr. Ronen Sadeh, CEO of Senseera. "With the support from Lightspeed and our investors, we will advance clinical trials, strengthen collaborations with global pharma leaders, and expand our pipeline to improve patient outcomes."
