NEW YORK – Pregnancy health company Mirvie said on Tuesday that it has closed a $60 million Series B funding round, boosting the company’s total funding raised to date to $90 million.
The round was led by Decheng Capital, with additional contributions from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Foresite Capital, General Catalyst, GV, Khosla Ventures, and Mayfield as well as a debt facility with Comerica Bank. Seven-time Olympic gold-medalist and maternal health advocate Allyson Felix also joined the financing as a new investor, according to the firm.
The South San Francisco, California-based company said it will use the funding to support the continued clinical and commercial development of its Mirvie RNA testing platform, which it says is the first to predict preeclampsia and preterm birth months before they happen by revealing the underlying biology of each pregnancy.
In April, Mirvie published a study demonstrating that cell-free RNA profiles in maternal blood could help predict spontaneous preterm birth. The study mirrored a previous study published in January, which showed that cfRNA in blood can predict preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication characterized by the onset of hypertension, months before symptoms occur.
Earlier this month, Mirvie received US Food and Drug Administration breakthrough device designation for its preeclampsia test to gauge a woman’s risk of developing preeclampsia before symptoms occur. According to the firm, the cfRNA-based blood test is the first within its category to receive such designation.
“We believe the Mirvie RNA platform can shape a new future of predictive, preventive, and personalized pregnancy care for the well-being of millions of expecting parents and babies,” said Mirvie Cofounder and CEO Maneesh Jain in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome several top-tier investors who recognize this staggering unmet need and have backed us to make a difference.”