Syndex Bio closed a $15.5 million seed round led by Arch Venture Partners to advance mcPCR, a methyl‑copying PCR that preserves DNA methylation during amplification. The company plans to deploy the technology in clinical workflows for methylation‑based diagnostics, particularly cell‑free DNA liquid biopsies. mcPCR adds 5‑methylcytosine to complementary strands during amplification to maintain methylation marks, which can increase recovery of methylated molecules and improve sensitivity for rare epigenetic signals. Syndex argues the platform reduces losses associated with bisulfite or enzymatic conversion methods. Investors and former Grail executives backing the round said the technology could unlock higher sensitivity for epigenetic cancer detection and disease monitoring if it translates robustly into clinical assays.