08.03.2022
Varinos (CEO: Yoshiyuki Sakuraba; Headquarters: Koto, Tokyo, Japan) announced their Series C funding round raising 600M JPY led by Fast Track Initiative (FTI), along with Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, MTG Ventures, and Sony Innovation Fund. Existing investors include Angel Bridge, SMBC Venture Capital, and Miyako Capital. Hiroko Kimura, Principal of FTI, has been appointed as an external BoD member.
Varinos is aiming to not only analyze genomes, but also develop new tests using genome technology. Varinos developed the world’s first “intrauterine flora test” that detects an ultra-microscopic amount of bacteria in the uterus, which affects the pregnancy rate. They are currently undergoing clinical trials and is being introduced at over 250 medical institutions and fertility treatment sites.
Research has begun to suggest that intrauterine flora is not only related to pregnancy rates, but also to chronic endometritis, endometriosis, and cervical cancer. Varinos plans to focus on disease research that can make use of genomic information and develop new products. They hope to expand overseas, especially as infertility treatment starts to expand and the number of people undergoing infertility treatment is expected to increase.
The declining birthrate is a serious social issue in Japan. FTI sees a great potential and significant growth for the future for Varinos, as its solutions are based on scientific evidence that can contribute to solving social issues and create an impact, providing a unique service that is selected and introduced by medical institutions and doctors.
About Varinos:
Varinos is a clinical testing company developing and providing new genomic testing services. We provide clinical tests in the field of reproductive medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, such as the “Endometrial Microbiome Testing,” which has been made possible by our latest genome technology to detect extremely small amounts of bacteria and “preimplantation genetic testing” which examines the genes and chromosomes of an embryo before conception to check for abnormalities. In addition to the fields of reproductive medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, we are expanding the use and potential of genomic medicine to include cancer and neonatal genetic diseases. We are developing unprecedented new genomic tests for the era of genomic medicine, where diagnosis is based on the diversity of genomes. Our goal is to standardize clinical testing services using next-generation sequencers (NGS) and to provide clinical sequencing tests to patients in an efficient manner. For more information, visit https://varinos.com or follow us on Twitter @varinosinc or Instagram @varinos_voice
About Fast Track Initiative:
Established in 2004, Fast Track Initiative, Inc. (FTI) is a life science venture capital firm, focusing its investments on grow seed and early-stage startups with a strong focus on biotech and therapeutics. FTI has a strict mission to make a ground-breaking impact on the quality of our life and human wellness through investments across a broad range of areas in the life science community including diagnostics, digital health, healthcare services, and more. The company provides full, hands-on operational support to its 30+ portfolio companies through business and R&D strategy, investor syndication, and more, including access to their exclusive network of leading industry professionals in Japan. Visit https://us.fasttrackinitiative.com for more details, or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fast-track-initiative/. For press inquiries or investor inquiries, please email: message.us@fasttrackinitiative.com
