The new test uses metagenomic sequencing to identify bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites from a single blood sample, with results available the next day.
Delve Bio has launched Delve Detect Plasma, a blood-based metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) assay that enables unbiased detection of more than 68,000 bacteria, fungi, DNA and RNA viruses, and parasites with next-day results. The company introduced the assay and presented accompanying clinical utility data at IDWeek 2026 in Washington, DC.
The assay is the second in Delve Bio’s commercial portfolio, following Delve Detect CSF, which was developed for patients with suspected meningitis or encephalitis. By expanding into plasma, the company applies its proprietary Delve Decide mNGS technology to an accessible sample type, analyzing both DNA and RNA from a single blood draw to identify organisms against a curated database. Testing is performed in a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory, with results delivered the day after sample receipt.
“For complex cases where patients are receiving broad and empiric therapies, getting the right answer quickly can inform treatment decisions and get patients on the most appropriate therapy sooner,” says Brad Murray, founder and CEO of Delve Bio, in a release. “Clinicians need a more comprehensive, cost-effective way to look for causes of infections without relying on multiple cycles of targeted testing. Delve Detect Plasma brings our proven metagenomic sequencing approach to a simple blood sample, providing a more complete view of potential pathogens with DNA or RNA genomes within a clinically relevant timeframe.”
Clinical Data Presented at IDWeek 2026
At IDWeek 2026, Delve Bio and research collaborators are presenting three scientific studies demonstrating mNGS diagnostic performance in challenging clinical cases. The presentations highlight the test’s capability to identify neuroinvasive arboviruses, subtype enterovirus in central nervous system infections, and detect neurotropic astrovirus strains in immunocompromised patients.
“The advantage of metagenomic sequencing is that we don’t have to know exactly what we’re looking for before we start testing,” says Charles Chiu, MD, PhD, cofounder of Delve Bio and professor of laboratory medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, in a release. “This approach can be especially valuable in complex cases, where evaluating a wider range of potential causes of infection may help us identify something that conventional testing could miss. With Delve Detect Plasma, critically ill patients with systemic infections can now be tested with our mNGS platform through a simple blood draw.”
Diagnostic Scope and Clinical Support
Standard infectious disease diagnostic workflows often require clinicians to suspect specific candidate organisms in advance, which can prompt multiple rounds of targeted testing while patients remain on empiric antimicrobial therapy. Delve Bio’s platform uses a pathogen-agnostic sequencing method designed to detect both common and rare infectious agents from a single test order.
The Delve Detect service includes access to the Clinical Microbial Sequencing Board, an on-call team of infectious disease and laboratory medicine experts who provide clinical context for results.
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