Folding precision medicine into the broader healthcare system is a complex logistical challenge – there are countless moving pieces involved, such as integrating EHR records with complex genomic data and treatment information.
Palo Alto precision medicine software company Syapse is attempting to tackle just that – and just raised a hefty $25 million Series C round to do so.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Patients, after all, are clamoring for precision medicine’s widespread adoption, Syapse President and Founder Jonathan Hirsch said in an interview at this week’s J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.
“They’re voting with their feet, choosing the healthcare systems that offer precision medicine,” Hirsch said.
Syapse’s recent Series C round was led by Ascension Ventures, the investment arm of nonprofit Catholic health system Ascension. Existing investors Social Capital Partnership and Safeguard Scientifics participated in the round as well.
“One key thing about this financing round is that it’s all about community health systems going all in on a community health issue – precision medicine,” Hirsch said.
Syapse’s software enables four main processes, Hirsch says:
- It integrates clinical, genomic and other molecular data from medical records, labs and pharmacies – showing a longitudinal profile of a patient
- It guides doctors to find the right diagnostic test and therapeutic approach, based on a log of clinical best practices
- It allows for treatment decisions and care coordination to be carried more effectively
- It measures patient outcomes to find out what works and what doesn’t – with an aim to improve clinical best practices
Syapse employs about 60, but thanks to this new funding plans to expand up to 150 employees in the next 12 to 18 months, Hirsch said. In particular, it wants to grow its sales and marketing teams.
Syapse has a number of interesting collaborations underway – such as an initiative with Texan precision medicine company Caris Life Sciences to profile between 50,000 and 100,000 cancer patients each year.
It also is working with the University of California, San Francisco to help develop a precision medicine approach to figure out what virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite is causing a patient’s illness.
