Craif Inc., a molecular diagnostics company pioneering early cancer detection through microRNA (miRNA) analysis, has completed the second close of its Series C funding round, bringing the total to US$22 million. With this round, Craif has raised a cumulative total of approximately US$57 million, including grants and debt financing.
The latest round was led by returning investor X&KSK and saw participation from several new strategic and financial backers, including Unreasonable Syndicate (investment arm of the Unreasonable Group, Colorado), TAUNS Laboratories, Inc., Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd., Aozora Bank Group, and others.
“At Craif, our vision is to build a world where no one fears cancer and everyone can live a long, fulfilling life,” said Ryuichi Onose, CEO and Co-Founder. “This funding enables us to scale our science-driven innovation across Japan and bring ‘Made in Japan’ healthcare technology to the global stage. We’re committed to transforming cancer prevention and early detection.”
The new funds will support Craif’s continued growth across Japan and the United States. In Japan, the company plans to expand its R&D pipeline and testing services. In the U.S., Craif is aggressively scaling its organizational presence with the goal of FDA approval and insurance reimbursement for its flagship test.
Craif has already established an R&D lab in Irvine, California, and is planning to open a business office in San Diego. Collaborating with 30 medical institutions across 15 states, the company is actively collecting biospecimens — with a current focus on pancreatic cancer.
Founded in 2018 as a spinout from Nagoya University, Craif aims to extend healthy lifespans through AI-powered analysis of urinary miRNA, enabling early detection and personalized treatment. Its flagship diagnostic, miSignal, launched in 2022, is designed to detect risk of hard-to-diagnose cancers — including pancreatic and lung cancer — at extremely early stages.
Since its Series B round in 2021, Craif has scaled rapidly in Japan:
- miSignal is now available at over 1,000 medical institutions and 500 pharmacies.
- Deployed in corporate wellness programs and online platforms.
- The company has collected over 42,000 biospecimens and published findings in approximately 60 papers and conference presentations.
- A recent validation study on early pancreatic cancer detection appeared in eClinicalMedicine, part of The Lancet family of journals.
To meet growing demand, Craif has doubled the size of its certified clinical laboratory and increased testing throughput by more than 15-fold. In April 2024, the company also initiated clinical trials in Japan to secure regulatory approval for its software-based diagnostic tool for pancreatic cancer.
