Cardea Bio

Cardea Bio, founded in 2013 and initially named Nanomedical Diagnostics, operates at the intersection of biotechnology and semiconductor technology. The company was established by a team including Ross Bundy, Dr. Kiana Aran, Michael Heltzen, and Dr. Brett Goldsmith. The founders brought together diverse expertise to bridge biology with electronics; Dr. Aran has a background in biomedical and electrical engineering and is a pioneer in fusing CRISPR with electronics, while Michael Heltzen has a history of building technology businesses in genomics and digital biology. This blend of experience was foundational to the company's direction.

The core of Cardea Bio's business is the mass production of a biocompatible semiconductor known as the Biosignal Processing Unit (BPU™). This proprietary technology is a graphene-based biological field-effect transistor (BioFET) that can translate real-time biological signals into digital information. Unlike traditional silicon chips, the BPU's graphene composition allows it to directly interface with biological molecules, enabling the detection of multiomics signals without the need for the optical or amplification methods common in life sciences. This capability facilitates rapid, real-time analysis of biomolecular interactions, a significant speed advantage over conventional methods like Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC). The company's business model centers on its "Cardea Innovation Partnership Program," offering its BPU platform and chipsets to partners for developing new applications.

The firm serves a broad array of industries, including human health, molecular diagnostics, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and animal health. For instance, its CRISPR-Chip, a specific application of the BPU, is designed to search genomes for specific sites without cutting DNA, functioning like a search engine for genetic material. The company has secured over $21.8 million in funding across multiple rounds from investors such as Agilent, Serra Ventures, and the Gates Foundation. A significant milestone occurred in May 2023 when Cardea Bio was acquired by Paragraf, a UK-based company specializing in the mass production of graphene electronics. Following the acquisition, Cardea Bio was rebranded as Paragraf USA. This merger combines Cardea's expertise in biosensor design with Paragraf's scaled manufacturing capabilities, aiming to accelerate the development and deployment of handheld, real-time biosensing devices.

Keywords: biocompatible semiconductors, Biosignal Processing Unit, BPU, graphene biosensors, multiomics, real-time diagnostics, biological field-effect transistor, BioFET, CRISPR-Chip, digital biology, molecular diagnostics, environmental monitoring, agritech, animal health, Paragraf USA, Kiana Aran, Michael Heltzen, Ross Bundy, Brett Goldsmith, gene editing quality control, point-of-need testing