Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1:01AM |  45°
MENU
Advertisement
Texas-based Castle Biosciences Inc. opened a 20,000-square-foot lab in Nova Place on the North Shore.
1
MORE

Texas biotech opens Pittsburgh lab

Castle Biosciences

Texas biotech opens Pittsburgh lab

Castle Biosciences Inc., which uses spatial biology and artificial intelligence driven-image analysis, will use the Nova Place lab for analyzing tissue samples.

A Texas cancer diagnostics company formally opened a 20,000-square-foot laboratory on the North Shore Wednesday, with plans to double its workforce to 70 people by year’s end.

Friendswood-based Castle Biosciences Inc., which uses spatial biology and artificial intelligence driven-image analysis, plans to use the Nova Place lab for analyzing tissue samples.

The company, which was founded in 2008, employs a total of 543 people, including 31 in Pittsburgh.

Advertisement

In 2021, Castle acquired Harmar-based Cernostics Inc., which developed TissueCypher, a diagnostic tool to predict high grade dysplasia or esophageal cancer in patients with Barrett’s esophagus. Cernostics employed about 12 people; they became Castle employees after the acquisition.

Cernostics, once a Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse portfolio company, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Castle for $30 million paid to Cernostics security holders plus another $50 million in cash or stock for achieving certain milestones in 2022.

The acquisition of Cernostics made Pittsburgh a natural choice for Castle lab, President and CEO Derek Maetzold said. A second lab for tissue analysis will create needed testing redundancy within the company.

“We wanted to make Pittsburgh home,” said Mr. Maetzold, who is also company founder.

Advertisement

Castle, which focuses on diagnostic tests for skin cancer and has not yet turned a profit, has raised about $354.3 million in investments and is on track to become cash positive in 2025, Mr. Maetzold said.

For the year ending Dec. 31, publicly held Castle reported an operating loss of $72 million, up from a $40 million loss for the previous year, on operating revenue of $137 million. Net revenue for the 12 months was up $43 million or 46% from the same period in 2022, according to company financials.

Kris B. Mamula: kmamula@post-gazette.com 

First Published: May 23, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: May 23, 2023, 2:51 p.m.

RELATED
SHOW COMMENTS (1)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
The two Franks worked with pizza legends Chris Bianco and Chad Robertson to perfect their craft.
1
life
A beloved pizzeria is expanding beyond Brooklyn. First stop, Mt. Lebanon.
Students at Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus in Lemont Furnace, walk to class on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
2
news
Penn State to close some commonwealth campuses, President Bendapudi announces
Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi spoke during a dedication ceremony for the newly renamed Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State, located in Uptown on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023.
3
news
Penn State Faculty Senate tables vote of no confidence in President Bendapudi
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (37) delivers during the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Bradenton, Fla.
4
sports
3 takeaways as Pirates suffer 1st loss of spring training to Braves
Ireland Brown is charged with assault, hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence and for the conduct of others in connection with what police have called a seemingly unprovoked attack on 53-year-old Preston Coleman at an Aliquippa VFW on Jan. 5. Investigators alleged that while Ms. Brown did not participate in the assault, she did nothing to intervene for the 30 minutes that it went on.
5
news
Lawsuit filed against Aliquippa VFW where ‘brutal’ assault occurred
Texas-based Castle Biosciences Inc. opened a 20,000-square-foot lab in Nova Place on the North Shore.  (Castle Biosciences)
Castle Biosciences
Advertisement
LATEST business
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story