Sign in Subscribe
MicroRNA

Novel Patent for Liver Cancer Detection Using Nanowire Technology

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at Craif Inc. in Tokyo, Japan have developed a groundbreaking patent for a method to detect liver cancer using nanowire technology. The patent, number 12442044, was filed on October 12, 2023, and published online on October 14, 2025. According to the inventors, Yoshinobu Baba, Daiki Takeshita, and Takao Yasui, this novel method utilizes a nanowire to capture and isolate microRNAs (miRNAs) from urine, allowing for the detection of liver cancer and other diseases.

The inventors have found that by contacting urine with a positively charged nanowire, it is possible to effectively capture extracellular vesicles (EV) and miRNAs, which are essential for detecting various diseases. The method has been shown to be efficient in capturing EV and miRNAs in urine, even at very low concentrations. This breakthrough has significant implications for the early detection and diagnosis of liver cancer and other diseases.

Key Takeaways:

  • The patent provides a method for detecting liver cancer using nanowire technology, specifically by capturing and isolating microRNAs (miRNAs) from urine.
  • The inventors have identified a positively charged nanowire as a key component for capturing EV and miRNAs, allowing for the detection of various diseases.
  • The method has been shown to be efficient in capturing EV and miRNAs in urine, even at very low concentrations.
  • The patent includes 12 claims, including a method for enriching a urine sample for at least miR-4521 to generate a urine extract.
  • The urine extract can be used to identify human subjects as having liver cancer or at an increased risk of having the liver cancer based on the amount of miR-4521 present.
  • The inventors suggest that the method can be generalized to other miRNAs, such as let-7i-3p, miR-183-5p, miR-202-5p, and others.
  • The method has significant implications for the early detection and diagnosis of liver cancer and other diseases.
  • The inventors claim that the method can provide a urine extract comprising at least about 100 species of micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs), including miR-4521.

Statistics:

  • The patent was filed on October 12, 2023.
  • The patent was published online on October 14, 2025.
  • The inventors have identified a positively charged nanowire as a key component for capturing EV and miRNAs.
  • The method has been shown to be efficient in capturing EV and miRNAs in urine, even at very low concentrations.
  • The patent includes 12 claims.
  • The urine extract can be used to identify human subjects as having liver cancer or at an increased risk of having liver cancer based on the amount of miR-4521 present.

Sources:

  • Baba, Yoshinobu. Extract from a body fluid comprising a micro RNA. U.S. Patent Number 12442044, filed October 12, 2023, and published online on October 14, 2025.
  • Craif Inc.
  • NewsRx, LLC, 2025

Read more