Microbiome health science company Viome raises $25M to build out its diagnostics division

The company hired Kal Raman, formerly of Amazon, Samsung, and Groupon, to run the division

Viome Life Sciences' mission is to understand the changes in human biochemistry at the onset and during the progression of chronic diseases so they can be prevented, diagnosed early, and reversed. The company uses AI analysis, early intervention, and precision nutrition to develop diagnostics and therapeutics for each individual by truly understanding what’s happening beneath the surface.

Currently, the company offers its CancerDetect test for oral and throat cancers, but its now looking to expand its diagnosis division into new areas, namely other cancers, chronic diseases, and aging, so Viome revealed this week that it will be launching a new division dedicated to diagnostics, which will be funded by a $25 million Series D round.

The new funding round was internal, and also included participation from Khosla Ventures, Bold Capital WRG Ventures, Marc Benioff, and more. Viome's last funding was an $86.5 million Series C funding round in August 2023, and this latest round brings its total funding to over $300 million. 

Founded in 2016, Viome’s approach combines novel mRNA research and FDA-backed technology to analyze epigenetic biomarkers to deliver comprehensive, AI-driven health insights that are proven to shape a healthy lifespan. That is then paired with precision nutrition recommendations.

All of its users start with a test to assess where they are and what they need; after identifying nutritional deficiencies, imbalances, and the root causes of chronic diseases, Viome supports its users' lifestyle changes by providing actionable next steps and nutrition recommendations. 

A few of the different cohorts that the company has seen benefit from its tests include biohackers who are focused on living forever or staying on top of their health; individuals who are interested in wellness and the latest technology, whether or not they have common symptoms that impact them daily; and people who are struggling with chronic conditions.

Viome’s tests have so far benefited almost a half million individuals and it has identified predictive biomarkers for more than 30 different chronic diseases, publishing data from trials that show a an over 30% clinical improvement in depression, diabetes, IBS, and anxiety in users who follow Viome’s lifestyle plan.

Its CancerDetect platform, which it launched in 2022, is an at-home early diagnostic tool, which the FDA awarded Breakthrough Device Designation status in May of 2021. It can detect not just stage 1 but also early biomarkers associated with oral and throat cancer with rates of 95% specificity and 90% sensitivity through the analysis of samples for the presence of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) and Oropharyngeal Cancer (OPC).

To run the new diagnostics division, Viome announced it has hired Kal Raman, most recently senior vice president of Non-Media Business, Marketing and Retail Technology at Amazon; before that he was Chief Digital Officer at Samsung and was formerly Chief Operating Officer at Groupon.

"Oral health is just the beginning of our journey into innovative diagnostics," Naveen Jain, CEO of Viome, said in a statement.

"We plan to expand our diagnostic offerings significantly, including developing tests for gut health conditions like IBS and IBD. I cannot think of a better person to bring on board to drive our diagnostic innovations. Kal's role will be crucial in enhancing our ability to deliver advanced, personalized health solutions, ultimately helping millions of people lead healthier, more informed lives."

(Image source: cancerdetect.viome.com)