USA’s Startup Navaux Bags Funding to Enter Indian Market

This move comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's recent announcement in the Union Budget 2024-25.

Navaux, a US-based life science startup specializing in early cancer detection technology, has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from angel investor Karna D Shinde.

This strategic investment will facilitate Navaux's entry into the rapidly growing Indian healthtech market.

"This investment will play a pivotal role in helping Navaux, a company specializing in early cancer detection technology, establish connections within the Indian healthcare industry as they prepare to introduce their cutting-edge solutions to the Indian market," the company said in a statement.

Founded in 2019 by Blake Johnson, Navaux provides diagnostic tests designed for early-stage cancer detection.

The startup offers non-invasive blood tests to measure activated circulating Hepsin levels, which help identify and target tumors and potentially deliver therapies. This enables precise patient monitoring and targeted therapeutic interventions.

This move comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's recent announcement in the Union Budget 2024-25, announcing relief to cancer patients by exempting three crucial cancer treatment medicines from customs duty.

The startup specializes in early cancer detection technology, notably their ACTIVH test, which predicts cancer onset up to 3-4 years in advance based on preclinical studies.

Navaux's ACTIVH test, developed based on preclinical studies, helps individuals make lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and alcohol, to potentially prevent the development of cancer.

"Early cancer detection significantly improves survival rates. Navaux's ACTIVH is a boon for patients and their families. Determining aggressive cancer development before symptoms arise will lead to longer survival and a better quality of life for patients," angel investor Shinde said.

Further, ACTIVH is a critical tool for patients undergoing cancer treatments, providing real-time insights into the efficacy of chemotherapy, radiation, or other therapies by monitoring Hepsin levels in the blood.

Moreover, a decrease in Hepsin levels indicates effective treatment, while an increase signals the need for alternative therapies.

"Biomarkers like Hepsin offer the potential for future therapies that are more effective and produce fewer side effects," Shinde added.

In a similar development, Global healthcare AI company Huma Therapeutics completed its Series D funding round, securing over $80 million.

This significant investment coincides with the launch of its Huma Cloud Platform. The platform is designed to manage diseases, connect different parts of the healthcare system, and predict health issues using smart algorithms.

Likewise, USA-based clinical decision software startup Regard secured $61 million in Series B funding to scale its AI-powered healthcare solutions. With the new capital, Regard plans to accelerate product development and invest in research in large language models (LLMs).