Xunminkang Biotech Secures Tens of Millions of RMB in Series A Funding to Advance Clinical Microbial Precision Diagnostics
Recently, Xunminkang, a clinical microbiology precision diagnostics company, announced the completion of its tens-of-millions-yuan Series A financing round. The investment was led by Xiran Capital, with Qingtong Capital serving as the exclusive financial advisor.
Li Ziqin, Co-founder and General Manager of Hangzhou Xunminkang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., stated that this round of financing will be used for new product research and development, the establishment of new technology platforms, and the optimization, upgrading, and promotion of existing products.
Xunminkang, established in 2014, is one of the earliest companies in China to engage in the research and application of clinical metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology. Focusing on precision diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, the company is committed to advancing clinical standards for infectious disease management through cutting-edge technology. Its founding team comprises a group of highly qualified international professionals with specialized expertise. Core members hail from renowned universities worldwide, including Zhejiang University, the University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Bristol, and the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, bringing extensive experience in clinical microbiology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics.
Xunminkang independently developed the world-leading IngeniSeq®️Clinical Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) Platform for MicrobiologyThis platform has established a comprehensive database covering 20,343 types of clinical microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites, along with an integrated bioinformatics analysis system. It enables DNA and RNA sequencing of microorganisms from common clinical specimens such as cerebrospinal fluid, blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, sterile body fluids, and tissues. Without the need for culture or specific amplification, this technology achieves higher detection positivity rates and clinical concordance. It offers significant clinical value by helping to rule out infections, shorten treatment duration, and reduce healthcare costs.
IngeniSeq®Pathogenic Microorganism-Specific Database (V2.0) comprehensively covers 9,233 viruses, 7,044 bacteria, 2,890 fungi, 635 mycobacteria, 172 parasites, 139 mycoplasmas, 128 chlamydiae, and 102 rickettsiae. After alignment, intelligent algorithm analysis is performed to identify the species of suspected pathogenic microorganisms.
Compared with traditional culture, Xunminkang IngeniSeq®Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for pathogenic microorganisms offers advantages such as unbiased detection, high efficiency, and broad coverage. It has demonstrated value in guiding targeted clinical therapy, promoting the rational use of antibiotics, improving patient prognosis, and controlling nosocomial infections.
To address clinical needs such as rapid diagnosis of common pathogens and detection of antimicrobial resistance genes, Xunminkang has also launched the IngeniFast “one-step” quantitative real-time PCR detection platform, along with a series of products including whole-genome sequencing for pathogen antimicrobial resistance.
Currently, the clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases in China faces various challenges. Traditional detection methods (biochemical, immunological, and culture-based techniques) have limitations in sensitivity, specificity, turnaround time, and throughput, and they cannot rapidly identify unknown or rare pathogenic microorganisms.
In contrast, pathogen metagenomics technology based on high-throughput sequencing (mNGS) directly addresses critical clinical challenges. It eliminates the need for culture and operates without bias, enabling the extraction and detection of all genetic material in a target sample. This approach effectively enhances the detection capability for clinical pathogens, shortens reporting turnaround times, and accelerates the development of precision diagnosis and treatment for infectious diseases.
As one of the first companies in China to apply metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to the diagnosis of infectious pathogens, Xunminkang initiated clinical research collaboration with the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, as early as 2017. It was the first to utilize microbial mNGS technology in China for diagnosing, monitoring, and guiding antimicrobial therapy, successfully treating critically ill patients with severe infections. In 2018, the company further advanced precision diagnosis and treatment of clinical infections by publishing the first case report of a rare cupping therapy-associated infection in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID). In 2019, it was recognized by the industry as one of the “Top 5 Metagenomics Companies” on the “2019 Future Healthcare 100 · China List.”
In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xunminkang rapidly assembled an R&D team and, leveraging its technical reserves and experience, successfully developed a “one-step” detection kit for the 2019-nCoV novel coronavirus (PCR-fluorescent probe method). Meanwhile, Xunminkang successfully applied metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 mutations, research on transmission pathways, and studies on co-infections, demonstrating the potential of mNGS technology beyond pathogen detection.
Faced with emerging infectious diseases such as the novel coronavirus, traditional methods often prove inadequate. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has stepped up to meet the challenge of pandemic control, playing a pivotal role in identifying SARS-CoV-2, detecting co-infections, conducting source tracing and evolutionary analysis, and predicting transmission patterns. In 2020, mNGS was formally incorporated into the standard etiological testing protocols for COVID-19, instantly becoming a focal point of global attention.
“This not only propels the field of pathogenic microorganism detection to a new level, but also opens up a new blue ocean in the niche segment of genetic testing—metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for infectious pathogens. In the future, mNGS-based pathogen omics technologies can be applied to the extensive field of chronic disease management related to infections, representing a significant blue-ocean market with immense application potential for related diagnostic products and broad development prospects,” stated Li Ziqin.
In the future, Xunminkang will remain dedicated to applying high-throughput sequencing technology to the diagnosis of pathogenic microorganisms, addressing key challenges such as detection rate, turnaround time, and accuracy. By providing comprehensive solutions for precise clinical microbiology diagnosis and treatment, Xunminkang aims to ensure that numerous patients with acute and critical infections receive timely and accurate diagnoses. Leveraging Zhejiang University’s international technology transfer resources, Xunminkang will continuously explore the clinical and commercial value of advanced technologies and drive their industrialization, striving to become a leading enterprise in the field of precise microbiological diagnosis and treatment in China.
Regarding investment logic, Ms. Gao Jing, Partner at Xiran Capital, stated: “Molecular diagnostics for pathogenic microorganisms represent a significant unmet clinical need in China. Due to various factors, this area has historically been overlooked, resulting in a noticeable gap compared with international advanced standards. Products for molecular diagnosis of pathogenic microorganisms have unique requirements for timeliness, sensitivity, and specificity that differ from other categories of molecular diagnostic products. Their clinical application spans multiple departments, including infectious diseases, respiratory medicine, and neurology. From the patient’s perspective, unlike the centralized care-seeking pattern seen in oncology, pathogenic microbial infections often present initially and sporadically at primary care levels. Furthermore, comprehensive technical approaches—such as sample collection and contamination control—are essential. We highly endorse Xunminkang’s technology and product strategy centered on clinical applications, and we believe that ‘Xunminkang’ will become one of the key forces driving the rapid improvement of diagnostic capabilities for pathogenic microbial infections in China. Precise diagnosis is the prerequisite for precise treatment. Xiran Capital remains bullish on the diagnostics sector, has already made strategic investments in key links of the industry chain, and will continue to expand its presence in this field.”
As the exclusive financial advisor for this round, Bo Aoke, Investment Director at Qingtong Capital, stated, “The complexity of clinical infectious diseases is increasing, with drug-resistant bacteria and superbugs becoming increasingly common. Precise detection of pathogenic microorganisms has become a crucial approach to addressing clinical challenges. As one of the first companies to apply mNGS in clinical diagnostics, Xunminkang has achieved efficient and accurate pathogen analysis through its robust R&D and bioinformatics capabilities, thereby driving rapid business expansion. Qingtong Capital will continue to support Xunminkang in its efforts to advance precision medicine and contribute to the development of human health.”