Karius Announces Appointment of Todd Whitson as Chief Commercial Officer

Whitson Brings More Than 15 Years of Genetic and Molecular Diagnostic Sales Experience to Company

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--()--Karius, Inc., a life sciences company focused on conquering infectious diseases, today announced that Todd Whitson has been named the company’s Chief Commercial Officer. A veteran in the fields of both genetics and molecular diagnostics, Whitson brings more than 15 years of healthcare sales experience to his new role.

Before joining Karius, Whitson served as Chief Commercial Officer for CareDx, Inc., a pioneer in molecular diagnostic surveillance for heart transplant recipients. Prior to CareDx, Whitson served as Vice President of Commercial Operations for Ariosa Diagnostics, now part of the Roche Group, which he helped grow from a startup with no revenue to a $50 million leader in non-invasive prenatal testing, in only two years. Prior to Ariosa, Whitson led sales at Genzyme Genetics, driving the success of the company to an acquisition by LabCorp.

“We are thrilled to have a leader of Todd’s caliber join the Karius team,” said CEO Mickey Kertesz, Ph.D. “As we look toward broadened availability of our technology in the coming months, Todd joins us with a solid track record of achievements, strategic insight, and many years of related commercial experience that will make an invaluable contribution to our success.”

“During my career I’ve been fortunate to see firsthand the positive and disruptive impact of genetics and molecular technology in many specialties, including reproductive medicine, oncology, and transplant care,” said Whitson. “Karius is now poised to bring the power of cell-free DNA testing to infectious diseases, a field with a critical unmet need. I’m excited to be joining this incredible team on the forefront of revolutionizing this area of healthcare.”

Earlier this month, Karius presented data at ASM Microbe 2017 demonstrating the ability of the company’s technology to detect pathogens from cell-free DNA using next-generation sequencing.

About the Karius Digital Culture™ Test

The Karius Digital Culture™ test applies advanced sequencing and analytics for the broad and rapid detection of microbial cell-free DNA through a standard blood draw. Unlike conventional culture and panel testing methods that test for a narrow range of pathogens, the Karius test can detect more than 1,250 pathogens. Through Karius’ CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified laboratory service, the test empowers doctors to diagnose infections, provide more targeted treatment, and spare patients the pain and risks of invasive biopsies.

About Karius, Inc.

Karius is a life sciences company focused on conquering infectious diseases through the innovative use of next-generation sequencing to analyze microbial cell-free DNA. The company’s genomics platform delivers unprecedented insight into the microbial landscape, providing clinicians with a comprehensive test capable of identifying more than a thousand pathogens directly from blood and helping industry accelerate drug development. For more information visit kariusdx.com and follow us on Twitter at @kariusdx.

Contacts

Karius, Inc.
Krysta Pellegrino, 650-255-6142
media@kariusdx.com
Jessica Volchok, 310-849-7985
media@kariusdx.com

Release Summary

Karius has appointed genomics veteran Todd Whitson as Chief Commercial Officer to advance launch of cell-free DNA test for infectious disease.

Contacts

Karius, Inc.
Krysta Pellegrino, 650-255-6142
media@kariusdx.com
Jessica Volchok, 310-849-7985
media@kariusdx.com