Tethys Bio

About Tethys Bio

Tethys Bioscience, Inc. operated as a predictive personalized medicine company, established in 2005 with a focus on preempting chronic, preventable diseases. The company was founded by Mickey Urdea, who also served as its chairman and CEO. A key figure, Michael Richey, joined at the company's founding and later became President.

The firm's primary business was the development and commercialization of novel blood tests to assess imminent disease risk, specifically targeting cardiometabolic conditions. Tethys developed the PreDx® Diabetes Risk Score (DRS), a fasting blood test designed for healthcare providers. This test analyzed seven serum biomarkers, including glucose, insulin, HbA1c, and C-reactive protein, combined with a proprietary algorithm to predict a patient's five-year risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The results were delivered as a simple score from 1 to 10, enabling physicians to identify and intervene with high-risk patients more effectively than with standard methods like fasting glucose measurement alone. The company's business model centered on building a sustainable diagnostics business by increasing physician use of its tests through direct sales and strategic partnerships. Tethys operated its own CLIA-certified clinical laboratory to perform the tests.

In a strategic move to broaden its technological base, Tethys acquired Lipomics Technologies in 2008, integrating metabolite profiling with its existing protein biomarker expertise. The company secured significant funding over its lifespan, raising a total of $53.3 million across several rounds from investors including Intel Capital and Greenspring Associates. Despite its efforts, Tethys Bioscience closed its doors, and its assets were acquired by Health Diagnostic Laboratory in 2014.