Biotia Raises $9M to Scale UTI and Infectious Disease Diagnostics

Biotia, a New York City clinical metagenomics company, has raised $9 million in an oversubscribed financing to scale its infectious disease diagnostics in women's health and expand into orthopedics. The company announced the round alongside a slate of new board members and advisors.

Investors in the financing include Convergent Ventures, DigitalDx Ventures, Cloquet Capital Partners, Continuum Health Ventures, I-Lab Angels, EGB Capital, Leawood Venture Capital, Red Bear Angels and Red Bear Ventures, among others.

What Biotia Does

Biotia uses metagenomic sequencing, which reads the genetic material in a patient sample, to identify the organisms behind an infection. The approach is designed to catch pathogens that conventional lab cultures can miss, and to give clinicians a clearer basis for choosing a treatment.

Its flagship product is the BIOTIA-ID Urine Test, which identifies the causes of recurrent and complicated urinary tract infections. The company reports 97% sensitivity and 99% specificity for the test, and it is available in all 50 U.S. states.

Recurrent UTIs are a persistent problem in women's health. Standard cultures often come back negative or inconclusive, leaving patients cycling through antibiotics without a confirmed cause. A more precise test can shorten that loop and support more targeted prescribing.

How Biotia Will Use the $9M

The company plans to scale operations at its New York City laboratory, launch additional diagnostics in women's health, expand into orthopedic diagnostics and pursue reimbursement pathways with payers.

The reimbursement work may be the most consequential. For a diagnostics company, a strong test is only part of the equation. Broad adoption depends on insurers covering it, and securing that coverage takes time, clinical evidence and capital.

Orthopedics is a logical second market. Infections around joints and implants are difficult to diagnose and costly to treat, and sequencing-based testing offers a way to pinpoint the organism responsible.

New Board Members and Advisors

Alongside the financing, Biotia named Michele Colucci as board chair and Tim Barry as a board member. Clive Fields, MD, joins as a board observer. Angelish Kumar, MD, was named a clinical advisor, while Lesley Northrop, PhD, and Catherine Balsam-Schwaber join the advisory board.

"Diagnostics are the foundation of better patient care, since you cannot manage what you cannot accurately measure," Barry said in the announcement.

Biotia is led by CEO and co-founder Niamh O'Hara, PhD. Co-founder Chris Mason, PhD, serves as global director.

Why the Biotia Funding Matters

Women's health diagnostics has historically drawn less investment than its patient population would suggest, and infectious disease testing still leans on culture methods that are decades old. Biotia is working at the intersection of both gaps.

An oversubscribed round indicates investors see demand for sequencing-based diagnostics that are already commercially available rather than years from market. With a test on sale nationwide and fresh capital to pursue coverage, Biotia's next phase is about turning clinical performance into routine use.

Source

PR Newswire — "Biotia Raises New Oversubscribed $9M Financing and Expands Board to Scale Infectious Disease Diagnostics in Women's Health and Orthopedics"