Virchow Medical, Inc., a La Jolla, CA-based developer of biopsy technologies, has raised a $4 million in seed financing led by Cerberus Ventures. Chenny Zhang of Cerberus Ventures will join the Virchow Board of Directors.
The round also saw participation from pathologists and interventional radiologists.
The company will use this funding to complete development of the Virchow Vault, a liquid specimen storage system, and to launch Biopsy Catchment pilot programs at additional medical institutions across the United States.
Virchow’s Crow’s Nest Biopsy Catchment System solves two problems by collecting tumor cells that are usually discarded during biopsies. Studies from six U.S. medical institutions show that comparing standard tissue samples with these collected liquid samples can provide extra useful information. These high-quality samples can help doctors identify more treatment options, such as targeted immunotherapy, and reduce the need for repeat biopsies.
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Doctors often rely on biopsy tissue for genomic testing, but this tissue is sometimes unavailable or insufficient for proper analysis. At the same time, many tumor cells are lost and wasted when the biopsy needle is discarded.
Along with Cerberus Ventures’ investment, this funding also includes support from pathologists and interventional radiologists who have used Virchow’s Crow’s Nest system and seen its benefits. They have experienced how it can produce useful samples from material that is usually discarded after biopsy procedures.
“Cerberus Ventures’ support will help us more quickly teach doctors and labs about the medical and financial benefits of saving high-quality genetic material from used biopsy needles, said Alexander Arrow, CEO of Virchow Medical. He added that this approach helps solve the problem of not having enough tissue for testing, and that the company is proud to use its technology to help many cancer patients.”
“Virchow is not only helping improve cancer patient outcomes but can also provide unique data to support AI in healthcare, said Chenny Zhang of Cerberus Ventures. He added that the team has done an excellent job so far and that they are excited to partner with them as the company grows.”
About Virchow Medical
Founded in 2023 by Alexander Arrow and Wilfrido Mojica, Virchow aims to unlock important molecular data for cancer patients and support precision medicine. The company provides hospitals with its Crow’s Nest Biopsy Catchment System, which collects samples from biopsy needles that would otherwise be discarded. These samples are stored in the Virchow Vault, a special biorepository and doctors can access them online to order genetic testing without needing traditional tissue samples, which are often limited. This approach helps more patients get access to targeted, personalized cancer treatments.
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