［Health Science domain］
The KIRIN HEALTH INNOVATION FUND Invests In Early Cancer Detection Test Developer Craif, Inc.
- CSV
May 10, 2022
Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
● Start-up company’s proprietary technology detects microRNA
● MicroRNA found in urine can detect cancer at an early stage, with no physical burden
● MicroRNA may also be used to detect other diseases
TOKYO, May 10, 2022 - The KIRIN HEALTH INNOVATION FUND, a corporate venture capital (CVC)*1 fund founded by Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Kirin Holdings) and Global Brain Corporation, (Global Brain) a leading independent venture capital firm, has invested in Craif Inc. (Craif), a developer of early detection tests for cancer using microRNA*2 found in urine on March 29, 2022.
1 The practice of an operating company investing its corporate funds directly in an external startup company aligned with its business lines, intended to establish a mutually beneficial relationship or launch a new business by leveraging the latter’s assets.
2 In vivo molecules involved in the development and malignant transformation of various diseases including cancer
About Craif, Inc.
Craif is a start-up company emerging from Nagoya University with a proprietary technology that enables highly accurate measurement of microRNA from urine. As the population ages on a global scale, the number of cancer patients is also increasing every year. On the other hand, cancer screening, which is important for early detection of cancer, has the lowest disease screening rate*3 in Japan among developed countries due to the limited number of cancers that can be identified, as well as the time-consuming, costly, and physical burden it entails.
Unlike conventional blood tests, Craif's proprietary technology comprehensively captures microRNA from urine, making it possible to detect cancer in its early stages with no burden on the body. In recent years, the potential of microRNA as a biomarker*4 in the health science field has become clear, and it has the potential to be applied to the early detection of various health issues other than cancer. By combining Kirin's technological capabilities with the knowledge of the Kirin Group, we will explore the possibility of using microRNA in a wide range of health science fields.
3 Source: Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute: https://oici.jp/ocr/examination/improvement.html
4 Substances that are indicators of a specific medical condition or biological state.
Craif's research on microRNA
MicroRNA is a biological substance secreted by cells, and the type and amount of microRNA secreted by cancer cells and normal cells differ. MicroRNA in cancer cells is a substance secreted by cancer cells in the early stage, which is difficult to detect by blood tests, diagnostic imaging, or endoscopy. The company's proprietary device enables highly efficient measurement and high-precision analysis of microRNA, making it possible to screen for cancer at an earlier stage than previously possible. In addition, since these technologies can search for biomarkers that specifically respond to specific health issues and estimate their mechanisms, the company's technologies are also expected to achieve early-stage screening in the area of health issues other than cancer.
Purpose of Establishing the KIRIN HEALTH INNOVATION FUND
Through the KIRIN HEALTH INNOVATION FUND, Kirin Holdings intends to invest in startups around the globe that have innovative technologies and business models for resolving health issues, and to leverage their advanced health science technologies and solutions for improving customer experience. By combining the Kirin Group’s wealth of assets and competence in health science with innovations and technologies that startups will bring to partnerships, Kirin Holdings will be better able to bolster its existing Food & Beverages domain as well as step up efforts to launch new businesses in its Health Science domain.
Supplementary Information
(1) About the KIRIN HEALTH INNOVATION FUND
| Fund name | KIRIN HEALTH INNOVATION FUND (registered as KIRIN and GB Investment Limited Partnership) |
|---|---|
| Primary sector for investment | Startups around the globe operating in the health science domain |
| Established | March 2020 |
| AUM | 5 billion yen |
| Investment period | 10 years |
| General partner | Global Brain Corporation |
(2) About Global Brain
| Company name | Global Brain Corporation |
|---|---|
| Head office | 10-11 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan |
| President | Yasuhiko Yurimoto |
| Established | January 1998 |
| Primary business | Venture capital business |
| URL | https://globalbrains.com/en |
(3) About Craif
| Company Name | Craif Inc. |
|---|---|
| Head office | 2-25-7 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo Hongo ITP Office 5F |
| President | Ryuichi Onose, Representative Director and CEO |
| Established | May 2018 |
| Primary business | Development and provision of test kits that enable early cancer detection by measuring urinary microRNA |
| URL | https://craif.com/ |
About Kirin Holdings
Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.
Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.
Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become A global leader in CSV*, creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals. Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.
* Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.
