Grail, a US-based cancer diagnostics spinout of genomics technology provider Illumina, has agreed to merge with China-based cancer testing technology developer Cirina.
Launched by Illumina in January 2016, Grail is working on technology that will combine high-intensity sequencing, population-scale clinical testing and data science technology to detect cancer earlier, when it is easier to treat.
Founded in 2014, Cirina is developing blood-plasma tests to detect a range of diseases, and disclosed $12m in series A funding in October 2016. Investment firm Decheng Capital is a co-founder of the company, which will now operate as a Grail subsidiary, and also its lead investor.
Jeff Huber, Grail’s CEO, said: “By combining our scientific expertise and resources, we will greatly enhance our ability to achieve our goal of reducing global cancer mortality through the early detection of cancer.”
Illumina co-led Grail’s $125m round in 2016 with venture capital firm Arch Venture Partners that included Bezos Expeditions, Sutter Hill Ventures and private investor Bill Gates.
Grail subsequently raised $900m in March 2017 in what constituted the first close of a series B round it aimed to eventually close at up to $1.8bn.
Arch Venture Partners led the tranche, investing alongside pharmaceutical firms Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Merck & Co and Johnson & Johnson, the latter through its Johnson & Johnson UK Treasury vehicle.
Medical technology manufacturer Varian Medical Systems also took part in the round, alongside McKesson Ventures, the strategic investment arm of pharmaceuticals supplier McKesson, as well as e-commerce firm Amazon and internet group Tencent.