Heaptalk, Jakarta — Indonesia-based healthcare biotechnology startup specializing in molecular testing solutions, PathGen, lands new injection for an undisclosed amount from East Ventures and Royal Group Indonesia. The startup will tackle the funds for research development, technology advancement, and market expansion.
“We are pleased to receive support from East Ventures and Royal Group Indonesia. This funding will propel us forward in our mission to improve lives by democratizing molecular testing solutions that suit the local context,” Dr. Susanti, Co-Founder and CEO of PathGen, said.
Founded in 2020, the Founders believed that detecting diseases early and having access to more precise treatment is critical for preventing health complications. For this reason, PathGen exists to democratize genomics solutions in lower and middle-income countries by providing low-cost molecular diagnostics tools for cancer and other diseases in Indonesia.
This startup has recorded several milestones, spanning a strategic partnership with Indonesia’s state-owned biotechnology company, BioFarma, to manufacture and channel its inaugural product, BioColoMelt-Dx, as a molecular diagnostic kit for colorectal cancer. The product was launched in 2022 as Indonesia’s first locally validated and produced molecular diagnostic kit. Currently, this product is available in major cancer hospitals in the archipelago, covering Dharmais Cancer Centre and Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.
“We welcome PathGen into our ecosystem and are excited to support PathGen in making this solution more accessible to the market. We strongly believe that this investment will fuel innovations, strengthen our ability to scale, and create positive health outcomes,” East Ventures’ Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Willson Cuaca, responds to this investment.
How PathGen resolves the diseases diagnose
As the disease solution, the PathGen startup provides accessible and reliable molecular diagnostics solutions to identify familiar risks (the risk of disease when a family member is affected), determine prognosis (forecast of the likely course of a disease), and predict treatment responses. This startup is developing a range of molecular genetic testing kits for multiple cancer types, such as colorectal, lung, cervical, and nasopharynx.
PathGen also advances molecular diagnostics by developing cutting-edge technologies such as Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) for cancer and other diseases. According to the startup, NGS has revolutionized genomics by enabling rapid and cost-effective analysis of large genomes and facilitating comprehensive disease profiling.
This approach identifies genetic variants linked to drug response and metabolism, supporting personalized medicine by optimizing drug selection and dosage for individual patients. Additionally, PatGen improves digital pathology and AI platforms to enhance diagnostic accuracy and precision.
“We will bring our well-recognized corporate and business expertise to PathGen and ensure its growth as a sustainable and impactful venture. The collaboration with East Ventures will allow us to combine our strengths and capabilities to continue the pursuit of breakthrough innovation in healthcare,” Royal Group Indonesia representative Irawan Mulyadi said.
