Cancer ranks as one of the leading causes of death all over the world. The National Cancer Institute reported nearly 20 million new cases of cancer and 9.7 million cancer -related deaths globally in 2022, with predictions showing an increase to 29.9 million new cases by 2040.
Craif, left Nagoya University in Japan in 2018, is using Microrna (Mirna) to develop an early cancer detection software, and he has raised $ 22 million in Serie C funds to further expand to the US market and strengthen his R&D.
Ryuichi Onose, co -founder and Craif’s CEO, told Techcrunch in an interview that the company completed its series C funding round with a rating of just less than $ 100m.
X & KSK, an existing investor, led the latest funds, which brings its total raised to $ 57 million so far, along with the investor in unreasonable SH.BA, its first investment in a Japanese beginning, Tauns Laboratory, Daiwa House Industry and Aozora Bank Group.
Craif’s journey began when Onose saw how deeply cancer affects his family, with both his grandparents being diagnosed with the disease. These personal experiences have inspired a strong commitment to helping the issue of cancer. Onose and Takao Yasui, an associate professor at Nagoya University, co-founded Craif just a month after they met. Yasui had created a new method for early detection of cancer using urinary biomarkers.
Early detection of a curable condition can be challenging as traditional diagnostic methods such as blood tests can be invasive, causing some people to avoid regular consideration, said Onose. Moreover, the limited access to medical facilities in certain areas makes it challenging for individuals to easily receive cancer testing, according to Onos.
Craif aims to address these gaps by providing a non-invasive urine-based test that enables early detection of cancer, even at a very early stage, as in phase 1.
“The test can be done by the comfort of a patient’s home and is made possible by the advanced analysis of the micrors, making the early detection more accessible and effective,” Onose said. “Our users are individuals aware of health who worry about cancer, but find it difficult to commit to conventional shows due to restrictions of time, cost and access.”
Some startups are creating platforms for early detection of cancer in industry, such as Grail, Freenome, Delphi Diagnostics and Clearnote Health.
Craif differentiates herself using micrors as a biomarker instead of CFDNA (DNA without cell) like most competitors and using urine.
“Mirna, who gained raised recognition after linking with the 2024 Nobel Item, is known for its deep involvement in cancer biology even in the earliest stages,” Onose explained. “Unlike CFDNA, Mirna is proactively secreted by early cancer cells, making it especially suitable for early detection of cancer.”
Another unique aspect of its product is its use of urine. Onose said urine is easy and non-invasive, providing many scientific and practical benefits. There is less impurities than other samples, making the biomarker signals clearer, he added. This helps lower any measurement error, such as those from blood hemolysis and saves money on the tests.
The first product of Craif, Misignal, a test that reveals the risk of seven different cancers (pancreatic, colorectal, lung, stomach, esophagus, ovary) using urinary tracts, is already generating income in Japan. Products are distributed through clinics, pharmacies, direct sales to customers and corporate wellness programs, providing a variety of revenue sources that can be expanded, according to the company’s CEO.
“We are partners with over 1000 medical institutions and about 600 pharmacies in Japan, serving about 20,000 users. Our team consists of 73 dedicated employees,” Onose Techcrunch told
The income model offers both single tests and packages of regular testing, with many users choosing plans. She posted $ 5 million in 2024 and aims to generate $ 15 million by the end of this year, Onose Techcrunch told.
Craif aims to expand the field of Misignal to include ten different types of cancers this year. Moreover, the beginning is preparing to use its technology for early detection of non -cancerous diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia.
Craif has its R&D lab in Irvine, California, and plans to open another office in San Diego to handle its business operations.
New funding will help begin to enter the US market with its early micro -based cancer detection test, aiming to complete the rehearsals in the US around 2029 and present for the approval of the FDA.
It has already begun collecting pancreatic cancer samples in cooperation with 30 medical institutions in 15 US countries.
This story was updated to clarify her plans for evidence in the JBA
