PetDx
PetDx is a company.
Financial History
Leadership Team
Key people at PetDx.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded PetDx?
PetDx was founded by Arthur Polk (Co-Founder, CFO).
PetDx is a company.
Key people at PetDx.
PetDx was founded by Arthur Polk (Co-Founder, CFO).
Key people at PetDx.
PetDx was founded by Arthur Polk (Co-Founder, CFO).
PetDx is a San Diego-based molecular diagnostics company founded in 2019 that develops liquid biopsy tests for pets, primarily focusing on early cancer detection in dogs through its flagship product, OncoK9. OncoK9 is a non-invasive, multi-cancer early detection (MCED) blood test using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and proprietary bioinformatics to identify cancer-associated genomic alterations, serving veterinarians and pet owners to address the lack of routine canine cancer screening—where cancer affects 6 million new dogs annually in the US and is a leading cause of death.[1][2][3] The company has raised $74.59M total, including a $62M Series B in 2021 (about 3-4 years ago as of 2026), and operates at Series B stage with plans to expand testing via its commercial platform, partnerships, and R&D for broader cancer management.[1][3][5]
PetDx, formerly known as 4Paws Dx, was founded in 2019 by Daniel Grosu, MD, MBA, who brought expertise from human oncology to veterinary applications, assembling a team of cancer researchers, genomics specialists, data scientists, and veterinarians in San Diego.[1][2][3] The idea emerged from translating liquid biopsy advances from human medicine to pets, targeting the unmet need for early, non-invasive canine cancer detection amid no existing screening programs.[3][4] Early traction included rigorous validation through the largest clinical study for pet cancer diagnostics, patent filings in blood tests and chromosomal abnormalities, and a Seed-stage community of 50+ genomics/animal health executives and 25+ veterinarians as investors, culminating in the OncoK9 launch and $62M Series B in 2021 from non-traditional animal health capital sources.[1][3][4]
PetDx rides the genomics and liquid biopsy wave from human medicine into veterinary health, capitalizing on pet humanization trends where owners spend more on advanced pet care akin to human standards. Timing aligns with post-2021 funding enabling scale amid rising canine cancer incidence (leading death cause, no prior screening), fueled by AI/data-driven diagnostics growth seen in competitors like Diagu.[1][3][4] Market forces include unmet veterinary oncology needs, new capital inflows to animal health, and regulatory openness to NGS-based tests, positioning PetDx to influence the ecosystem via education, research advancements, and partnerships that normalize proactive cancer screening in vet practices.[2][3][4]
PetDx is poised to expand beyond OncoK9 Screen into full cancer characterization, treatment monitoring, and possibly other pets, leveraging its R&D roadmap and lab infrastructure amid growing vet adoption. Trends like AI-enhanced genomics, rising pet wellness spending, and cross-species biotech translation will shape its path, potentially evolving it into a veterinary oncology leader with broader genomic health platforms. As pioneers humanizing pet cancer care through liquid biopsy, PetDx exemplifies how genomics unlocks early detection to save lives—much like its human medicine roots.