Predicta Biosciences, a precision oncology company pioneering next-generation diagnostic and therapeutic discovery solutions, today announced the successful close of a $23.4 million oversubscribed Series A financing round. The investment was led by Engine Ventures, with strong participation from Illumina Ventures, Lightchain Capital, Mass General Brigham Ventures, ACS BrightEdge, Binney Street Capital of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Myeloma Solutions Fund.
The newly secured capital will enable to expand its scientific and operational team, grow its CLIA-certified laboratory infrastructure, accelerate commercialization of its flagship diagnostic platform GenoPredicta, and advance the development of additional non-invasive diagnostic tools for blood cancers and autoimmune diseases. Alongside the funding, the company also announced the appointment of seasoned biotech leader Brian McKernan as its new Chief Executive Officer.
A Major Milestone for Predicta’s Mission
For patients with complex blood cancers such as multiple myeloma, and those living with chronic autoimmune disorders, accurate diagnostic solutions remain limited. Predicta Biosciences was founded to bridge that gap, bringing precision oncology into an era where genomic insights and immune profiling can directly guide therapeutic choices.
“It’s an honor to join and lead such a strong team of oncologists, scientists, and operators, all of whom are united by the mission to transform patient care,” said Brian McKernan, CEO of Predicta Biosciences. “We are already demonstrating how genomic-driven insights can empower clinicians to better understand a patient’s disease biology, predict their likely treatment response, and ultimately make smarter therapeutic decisions. With this Series A funding, we’re not only accelerating commercialization of our current diagnostic solutions but also laying the foundation to bring entirely new classes of precision therapeutics to patients.”
Meet the New CEO: Brian McKernan
McKernan brings a proven track record in biotech leadership. A three-time founder and veteran CEO, he most recently served as CEO of Fluent BioSciences, a single-cell analysis company acquired by Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) in 2023. Earlier in his career, several of his ventures played pivotal roles in landmark projects, including contributions to the NHGRI’s Human Genome Project and global initiatives mapping gene mutation associations in neurological diseases.
McKernan has also been deeply involved in industry advocacy, having served as Chairman of the Board of the Analytical Life Sciences and Diagnostic Association, and he holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School.
His appointment underscores it’s commitment to blending scientific excellence with commercial execution—a combination that is essential to scaling innovation from the lab to the clinic.
The Unmet Need in Blood Cancer Diagnostics
Despite rapid advances in precision medicine and immunotherapy, many gaps remain in how physicians evaluate and treat patients with blood cancers. Multiple myeloma, for instance, is an incurable disease that affects more than 34,000 patients annually in the U.S. alone. While patients increasingly benefit from therapies such as CAR-T cells and bispecific antibodies, clinicians often lack critical molecular insights before initiating treatment.
Dr. Irene Ghobrial, MD, Predicta co-founder and a leading authority on multiple myeloma, explained:
“In the era of precision therapeutics, there is an urgent need for equally precise diagnostics. Too often, physicians do not know whether a patient harbors mutations or deletions in key targets like BCMA or GPRC5D until after treatment has begun. Having this knowledge upfront can be transformative. It allows clinicians to avoid ineffective therapies, reduce unnecessary toxicity, and ensure patients are matched with treatments most likely to help them.”
This alignment between diagnostic clarity and therapeutic precision is the cornerstone of Predicta’s mission.
GenoPredicta: A New Diagnostic Standard
In April 2025, Predicta launched its first Laboratory Developed Test (LDT), known as GenoPredicta. This test represents a major leap forward in the molecular diagnosis of multiple myeloma and related conditions. Unlike traditional methods that often require invasive procedures, GenoPredicta can be performed using either peripheral blood or bone marrow samples.
Physicians can order the test to:
- Diagnose multiple myeloma or precursor conditions with higher accuracy.
- Identify key molecular alterations that influence disease progression.
- Guide therapeutic decisions by predicting likely responses to immunotherapies.
Predicta is also building collaborations with leading providers, clinical researchers, and patient advocacy groups such as the HealthTree Foundation, ensuring that its innovations are rapidly translated into clinical benefit for patients worldwide.
Beyond Diagnostics: Toward Precision Therapeutics
While GenoPredicta is the company’s immediate focus, Predicta’s long-term vision extends far beyond diagnostics. By harnessing its proprietary genomic and immune profiling database, Predicta is uniquely positioned to advance therapeutic discovery.
McKernan emphasized this dual mission:
“Predicta’s data platform is one-of-a-kind. We’re not only helping clinicians today with molecular diagnostics, but we’re also laying the groundwork to develop new precision therapeutics. This Series A raise accelerates our ability to do both—meeting urgent patient needs in diagnostics now while shaping the future of personalized treatment.”
Backing from Top-Tier Investors
Predicta’s Series A attracted an impressive roster of investors with deep expertise in genomics, oncology, and healthcare innovation.
“Predicta stands out among early-stage biotech companies because of its immediate clinical impact and enormous future potential,” said Ann DeWitt, General Partner at Engine Ventures and Predicta Board member. “With Brian McKernan’s leadership and the founding team’s world-class scientific expertise, Predicta is entering a powerful new phase of growth. The combination of near-term diagnostic utility and long-term therapeutic discovery is rare—and it positions the company to truly transform care for patients with blood cancers and autoimmune diseases.”
Looking Ahead
With $23.4 million in fresh funding, a newly appointed CEO, and a rapidly expanding portfolio of diagnostic and discovery programs, Predicta Biosciences is poised for significant growth in the years ahead.
Its short-term priorities include:
- Scaling access to GenoPredicta through partnerships with leading hospitals and oncology practices.
- Expanding its CLIA-certified lab infrastructure to support growing test demand.
- Building a larger scientific and clinical team to accelerate development of next-generation diagnostics.
- Leveraging its genomic and immune profiling platform to identify new druggable targets and fuel therapeutic discovery.
Ultimately, Predicta’s work could redefine how diseases like multiple myeloma and autoimmune disorders are detected, monitored, and treated—bringing precision medicine full circle, from diagnosis to therapy.
About Predicta Biosciences
Founded by leading cancer genomics researchers and clinicians, Predicta is a precision oncology company developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic products. The company’s non-invasive diagnostics initially focus on multiple myeloma, equipping physicians with the unique ability to determine the likelihood of a patient responding to immunotherapies. For more information, visit www.predictabiosciences.com
