DAMOCLES Diagnostics has raised $855K in seed funding to speed up development of a rapid antibiotic sensitivity test. The Limoges deeptech startup, founded in 2023, says its DAMAST system can measure the biophysical properties of a microorganism in minutes - without labeling and while keeping the sample alive.
The technology adapts a proven oncology method for medical microbiology labs in human and animal health, and the company reports it has validated DAMAST on more than 500 bacteria/antibiotic combinations, with performance in line with CE-IVD regulations. A second internal clinical study is underway. DAMOCLES, an eight-person team backed by the INSERM U1092 RESINFIT and U1308 CAPTUR laboratories, is aiming to industrialize the system in 2025 and launch a clinical trial in 2026.
