Diagnostics

Making up for scrapped IPO, melanoma diagnostics company DermTech raising $20M

DermTech has a biopsy-free approach to test for melanoma – using an adhesive patch to collect skin cells and test if the RNA expression is consistent with cancer.

DermTech, a San Diego skin cancer diagnostics startup, seems to be making up for lost ground from a scrapped $25 million IPO: It just filed a $20 million equity fundraise with the SEC.

The company develops biopsy-free gene classifiers and and expression tests to screen for dermatologic conditions like melanoma. It gathers samples in a noninvasive manner – using an adhesive patch as opposed to a scalpel to collect skin cells.

DermTech analyzes the RNA extracted from these skin tissue samples to determine the expression levels of genes associated with melanoma – and make the diagnosis.

The company, founded in 1995, withdrew its IPO filing last November. As of June 30, 2014 it had booked no revenue for that fiscal year.

[PHOTO: Flickr user Christiana Care]