Mirxes Japan, Nagawa Pharma Partner on Early Cancer Detection in Japan

Original from: 360dx

Mirxes said Wednesday that is has partnered with Nagawa Pharmaceutical to accelerate development and implementation of its early cancer screening tests across Japan.

Under the collaboration, the firms plan to leverage Mirxes' blood-based miRNA tests, including GastroClear and LungClear, to build a comprehensive early cancer detection ecosystem in Japan. Nagawa will localize the testing platforms, establish a manufacturing system, and set up a distribution network in the Japanese market, Mirxes said.

Mirxes Japan recently secured a grant from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to develop and validate a noninvasive cancer biomarker screening test service for the Japanese market, and its collaboration with Nagawa builds on this development.

In addition, Japan's former prime minister Yukio Hatoyama, Mirxes Japan, and Nagawa have launched a nationwide public health initiative focused on gastric health and early gastric cancer detection that will offer free screening to 10,000 residents throughout Japan using Mirxes' GastroClear microRNA-based blood test. 

The Singapore-based firm's quantitative PCR-based early gastric cancer test generates a score stratifying patients as either high, intermediate, or low risk. It gained regulatory approval in Singapore in 2019 and obtained breakthrough device designation from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2023. 

The initiative is the latest development in Mirxes' ongoing global expansion. The firm has already moved into China and Indonesia, and in January, it received $40 million in financing to support further expansion. More recently, Mirxes launched an IPO on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

"Partnering with Nagawa Pharmaceutical means we can roll out our early cancer screening solutions with greater speed and confidence," Li-Foong Yoong, general manager of Mirxes Japan, said in a statement. "This partnership could also serve as a model for cancer prevention and control in Japan and globally."

Source: Mirxes Japan, Nagawa Pharma Partner on Early Cancer Detection in Japan