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Apton’s Super-Res™ systems to bring sequencing into routine clinical use in healthcare

Pleasanton, Calif., June 30, 2021—Apton Biosystems, Inc., a developer of Super-Res sequencing and single-molecule detection systems for large-scale clinical applications, such as early cancer detection and population sequencing, today announced the close of a $24 million Series-A financing. The financing was led by Kern Capital with participation by new and existing investors including Casdin Capital and Khosla Ventures. Concurrent with the financing, Jay Kern of Kern Capital has joined Apton’s board of directors.


Apton intends to use the funds to continue developing its Super-Res sequencing and single-molecule proteomics detection systems. “Genomics and advanced proteomics are utilized in a minority of clinical applications today, but have the potential to unlock the answers to every facet of human biology,” said John Hanna, CEO of Apton Biosystems, Inc. “This funding allows us to continue building the team and technology to address the challenges in reaching the scale necessary for routine clinical use.”


“Sequencing is key to providing timely diagnosis and treatment of viral, oncologic, and chronic diseases,” said Jay Kern of Kern Capital. “Apton’s breakthrough technology platform combines super-resolution imaging with simple, low-cost consumables that will enable population-scale sequencing to be pervasive in healthcare diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. We are thrilled to partner with Apton in advancing this exciting technology.”


Since its founding in 2012, Apton Biosystems has developed expertise in super- resolution imaging optics and consumables aimed at RNA and DNA sequencing and single-molecule proteomics. Apton has raised venture funding from notable firms such as Khosla Ventures, Samsung Catalyst Fund, Co-Win Investments, Kern Capital, and Casdin Capital.


About Apton
Apton Biosystems, Inc., is a Pleasanton, California-based developer of Super-Res™ sequencing and single-molecule detection systems for large-scale clinical applications such as early cancer detection and population sequencing. Apton has re-imagined the optical systems for sequencing using super-resolution to evaluate molecules spaced closer than a wavelength of light. Apton’s Super-Res™ technology sequences tens of billions of reads in a single run using simple, un-patterned flow cells that lower variable costs.

Management Team Prepares for Commercialization

Pleasanton, Calif., May 01, 2021—Apton Biosystems, Inc., a developer of Super-Res™ sequencing instruments for large-scale clinical applications such as early cancer detection and population sequencing, today announced the appointment of John W. Hanna as chief executive officer and board director.


Mr. Hanna has more than 20 years of senior healthcare management experience, including ten years at genomic diagnostics company Veracyte, Inc., where his roles included chief commercial officer and vice president of marketing. Prior to that, Mr. Hanna held sales and business development roles at IBM, Humana, Inc, and America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).


“Apton is at a critical inflection point as it enters into the commercialization phase of the company,” said Heiner Dreismann, Apton’s board chairman. “I could not be more pleased to have an exceptional and proven executive in John providing the leadership needed as we prepare for growth.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the Apton team,” said John Hanna, CEO. “Apton’s Super-Res platform is a groundbreaking technology that makes interrogating the genome radically more scalable, generating an unparalleled density of sequencing data. In our race to cure cancer, affordable early detection and monitoring technologies are critical and Apton’s platform is the break-through needed to propel genomic sequencing to the level of routine use in healthcare.”

Hanna continued, “This year Apton added key leaders including Heiner Dreismann, former President and CEO of Roche Molecular Systems as our board chairman, and I plan to bring onboard additional executive leaders to prepare for market introduction and scaling the company.”

Since its founding in 2012 by Bryan Staker, chief technology officer, Apton Biosystems has developed expertise in super-resolution imaging optics and consumables aimed at RNA and DNA sequencing and single-molecule proteomics. Apton has raised seed series venture funding from notable firms such as Khosla Ventures and Samsung Catalyst Fund.

About Apton
Apton Biosystems, Inc., is a Pleasanton, California-based developer of Super-Res™ sequencing instruments for large-scale clinical applications such as early cancer detection and population sequencing. Apton has re-imagined the optical systems for sequencing using super-resolution to evaluate molecules spaced closer than a wavelength of light. Apton’s Super-Res™ technology allows us to densely sequence tens of billions of reads in a single run using simple un-patterned flow cells that lower variable costs.