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As prosecutors prepare to wrap up arguments in the much-anticipated trial of former Theranos CEO, Elizabeth Holmes, who faces multiple counts of fraud for her infamously failed blood-testing technology, a new generation of blood-tech entrepreneurs—including one such company in Redwood City—is trying to succeed where Theranos fell short.
Blood diagnostic company Karius, located in Redwood Shores, was founded in 2014 and has raised close to $250 million from investors, according to a report by the Washington Post.
Karius, which employs roughly 140 people in Redwood City, uses a single blood draw to map patients’ microbial composition and look for signs of infection or disease. But, as the Post reported, gaining credibility—and funding—in the age of Theranos was no easy task.
“There came to be this absurd connection between blood testing and fraud,” Tim Blauwkamp, co-founder and chief scientific officer at Karius, told the Post.
“Ultimately, we believe this is a fundamentally better way to identify pathogens caused by human disease,” Blauwkamp told the Post of their non-invasive pathogen-detecting technology.
According to the Post, Karius is one of several start-ups gaining traction in the emerging field of blood diagnostics and testing, which Ron Paulus, a physician and investor, said has been “exploding” in recent years.
Paulus, a Karius investor, also said that scrutiny has never been more important and that he relies on the opinions of outside experts to assess the legitimacy of companies like Karius.
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Leah Worthington is the lead reporter at the Redwood City Pulse, a local news site dedicated to providing accurate and timely news to the Redwood City community. Leah can be reached at lworthington@rwcpulse.com, on Twitter, and by phone at 650-888-3794. To read more stories about Redwood City, subscribe to our daily Express newsletter on rwcpulse.com.
