NEW YORK – Cardea Bio, a startup making graphene-based biosensor chips, said on Tuesday that it has been acquired by UK-based graphene device maker Paragraf.
Cardea Bio will be renamed Paragraf USA and will remain based in San Diego. Financial and other details of the deal were not disclosed.
"The world-leading IP and expertise in graphene-electronic-based molecular detection using CRISPR and other bioassay methods from Cardea Bio, combined with Paragraf's groundbreaking developments in scalable graphene production processes will deliver a strong pipeline of biosensing products aimed at solving major global challenges," said Simon Thomas, Paragraf CEO and cofounder. "These products will strengthen surveillance of the quality and integrity of our food production processes, markedly improve early detection of disease, and monitor the health of our environment."
Cardea Bio launched the CRISPR-Chip in 2019, using a deactivated Cas9 enzyme to bind DNA molecules, registered by a graphene-based integrated circuit. The firm raised more than $20 million in Series A financing by the beginning of 2021.