MicroRNA-Based Early
Cancer Detection
The MinION/Yenos nanopore platform measures miR-21, miR-375, and miR-141 directly from a urine sample — amplification-free, single-molecule detection with zero data overlap between cancer and healthy populations.
The groundbreaking
discovery behind the test
OncuraKit is built on the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation — the work awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun.
Over the past 25 years, more than 80,000 peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that specific microRNAs are strongly associated with cancer onset and progression. Yenos Analytical selected the three most studied cancer-associated miRNAs — each validated across more than 70,000 patient and control samples.
Yenos was the first to report that miRNA levels are proportional to total RNA content regardless of age, sex, or ethnicity — and that after normalization, urine and blood miRNA levels are comparable. This means urine can replace blood for this test.
Cancers Detected
These six cancer types represent over 50% of all cancer diagnoses in the United States. A single urine sample screens for all six simultaneously. Because the miRNA biomarkers are broadly associated with cancer, the platform is expected to detect most cancer types.
Cancer samples: 1.83× Healthy Level (HL)
Healthy samples: 1.04× HL
Threshold: 1.5 HL · Zero data overlap · p=1.6×10⁻²²
Zero overlap — a clear separation between healthy and cancer.
Yenos Analytical is the only MCED platform to report zero data overlap between cancer and healthy populations. The gap is not statistical noise — it is a hard biological boundary.
miRNA Expression Levels (Healthy Level multiples)
Cancer vs Healthy gap: 0.79× HL
Statistical significance: p = 1.6×10⁻²²
Data overlap between groups: Zero
Source: Rafiq A, Kanavarioti A. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(8), 3822.
Per-Marker Accuracy (published 2025)
Why "zero overlap" matters
Competing tests (Galleri, Shield, CancerGuard) are all PCR-based — they amplify the signal before measuring. Amplification introduces large data spread, forcing competitors to use probabilistic scores ("your cancer signal score is X") instead of clean YES/NO results.
The MinION/Yenos platform measures single molecules directly through nanopores — no amplification, no spread. Cancer and healthy populations are cleanly separated by a hard 1.5× HL boundary. Your result is binary: above or below.
See what's in the testMinION/Yenos Nanopore Technology
2048 nanopores · 180 pA baseline current · Osmium-tagged probes · Single-molecule, amplification-free · Bracketing protocol for a priori accuracy · 3 US patents granted
Non-Invasive — Urine Only
Simple 10 mL urine sample — no blood draw, no clinic visit. Stability during shipping confirmed by Yenos Analytical.
Highest Stage I/II Sensitivity
81–97% sensitivity at Stage I/II — the highest published figure among all multi-cancer early detection tests currently available.
Zero Data Overlap
Cancer and healthy populations show zero overlap (p=1.6×10⁻²²). Unlike score-based competitors, the result is YES or NO.
Amplification-Free Detection
Single-molecule nanopore measurement — no PCR amplification needed. This eliminates the large data spread that has blocked FDA approvals in PCR-based methods.
No Prescription Required
Direct access to proactive cancer screening without a doctor's referral or a hospital visit.
3 NIH SBIR Grants + 3 US Patents
Dr. Anastassia Kanavarioti received 3 NIH SBIR Phase I grants (2018–2020) and holds 3 US granted patents plus international patents across 8 countries.
Peer-Reviewed Research
Four published studies by Yenos Analytical across 2020–2025 form the scientific foundation of this test.
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024
Awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun "for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation."
The Potential and Limitations of the MinION/Yenos Platform for miRNA-Enabled Early Cancer Detection
Rafiq A, Kanavarioti A. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(8), 3822. Core validation study: miR-21 (93.8%), miR-375 (81.5%), miR-141 (97.3%) accuracy. Zero data overlap, p=1.6×10⁻²².
High Sensitivity and Specificity Platform to Validate MicroRNA Biomarkers in Cancer and Human Diseases
Kanavarioti A, Rehman MH, Qureshi S, Rafiq A, Sultan M. Non-Coding RNA 2024, 10(4):42. Confirms 1.83× HL overexpression in cancer (RSD=0.09) vs 1.04× HL in healthy (RSD=0.17).
Femtomolar-level PCR-free quantification of microRNA cancer biomarkers in serum
Kanavarioti A et al., 2022 preprint. Development work demonstrating amplification-free miRNA quantification at femtomolar concentrations.
Ready-to-use nanopore platform for the detection of any DNA/RNA oligo
Kanavarioti A. Scientific Reports 10, 19790 (2020). Proof-of-concept for the foundational MinION/Yenos single-molecule nanopore detection platform.
Blood-Based microRNA Diagnostic Model for Multi-Cancer Early Detection
Zhang A and Hu H. Cancers 2022, 14, 1450. MiRoncol model — comparative reference using 4-miRNA panel and 4,000+ samples from Japanese national program.
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