Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · Toronto, Canada
Xagenic is a technology company.
Xagenic develops advanced molecular diagnostics, providing on-demand testing capabilities through a fully automated technology platform. This system rapidly delivers diagnostic results within minutes, leveraging a low-cost, chip-based design integrated with nanotechnology. The company's innovative approach facilitates decentralized diagnostic testing, moving critical analysis closer to the point of care.
Shana Kelley founded Xagenic in June 2010 in Toronto, Canada. Her insight centered on commercializing a novel chip-based diagnostic system designed for high efficiency and accessibility. Kelley, a notable figure in her field, initiated the company with the vision of transforming molecular diagnostics performance.
Xagenic's technology empowers healthcare providers, enabling them to conduct real-time diagnostics directly where patients receive care. The core mission revolves around enhancing clinical decision-making by significantly accelerating the turnaround time for critical test results. The company strives to facilitate faster treatment interventions and improve patient outcomes through its accessible diagnostic solutions.
Xagenic has raised $69.0M across 5 funding rounds.
Xagenic has raised $69.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Xagenic has raised $69.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Xagenic's investors include Amplitude VC, Domain Associates, BDC Capital, CTI Life Sciences Fund, Ontario, Dion Madsen, Kim P. Kamdar, Government of Canada, Richard Meadows, QIAGEN.
Xagenic has raised $69.0M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $12.0M Series B in July 2015.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2015 | $12M Series B | — | Amplitude VC, Domain Associates, BDC Capital, CTI Life Sciences Fund, Ontario | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2014 | $26M Series B | Dion Madsen | Amplitude VC, Domain Associates | Announced |
| Dec 2, 2013 | $20M Series B | KIM P. Kamdar | CTI Life Sciences Fund, Ontario | Announced |
| Feb 19, 2013 | $990K Venture Round | Government OF Canada | — | Announced |
| Jan 30, 2012 | $10M Series A | Richard Meadows, Ontario | QIAGEN | Announced |
Xagenic was a Toronto-based molecular diagnostics company developing a fully automated, chip-based platform for lab-free, point-of-care testing with results in under 30 minutes, targeting infectious diseases and potentially cancer detection.[1][2][5] The technology used patented nanostructured microelectrodes for rapid nucleic acid detection (DNA/RNA), serving clinicians, patients, and healthcare systems by enabling on-site pathogen screening in physician offices or at bedside, reducing anxiety, treatment delays, and lab costs.[2][3] It addressed unmet needs in diagnostics by automating complex lab processes into disposable cartridges, achieving early recognition like the 2014 Frost & Sullivan award, and securing $20 million in Series B funding plus provincial investments.[1][6][7]
Founded in 2010, Xagenic emerged from University of Toronto research by Dr. Shana Kelley, a renowned scientist and professor who invented the nanotechnology-based microelectrodes for ultrasensitive sensors.[2][3] The idea stemmed from breakthroughs in nanoscale engineering to create fast, simple molecular tests bypassing skilled technicians and lengthy lab workflows.[2] Early traction included a $1 million investment from Ontario's Ministry of Research via MaRS Innovation in 2011 to commercialize the tech, followed by support from investors like BDC Capital, Domain Associates, CTI Life Sciences Fund, and Ontario Capital Growth Corporation.[1][2]
Xagenic rode the wave of point-of-care diagnostics and nanotechnology convergence, accelerating amid demands for faster pathogen detection post-global health crises and rising healthcare decentralization.[2][3] Timing aligned with shifts toward miniaturized, field-deployable biotech, fueled by market forces like strained lab systems and needs for on-site testing in infectious disease and oncology.[1][2] Its influence shaped the ecosystem by pioneering chip-based molecular tools, influencing defense and security applications via asset acquisition, and demonstrating academic-to-commercial pathways through Toronto's innovation hubs like MaRS.[2][3]
By 2018, General Atomics acquired Xagenic's assets, integrating its bio-sensor tech into GA-EMS operations in California under Dr. Graham Jack to advance microelectronics for defense, signaling a pivot from pure diagnostics to ruggedized, deployable systems.[3] Next steps likely involve scaling cartridge manufacturing and sensor miniaturization for national security and beyond-lab health uses. Trends like AI-enhanced diagnostics and portable biotech will propel this legacy, evolving Xagenic's innovations to bolster resilient supply chains in global health and defense ecosystems—transforming bedside breakthroughs into frontline tools.[3]