Ymir Genomics, LLC and the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) are collaborating to develop urinary biomarkers that will help detect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in at-risk patients. 

The development starts with Ymir, who will isolate extracellular vesicles and analyze miRNA profiles of urine samples from liver cancer patients and high-risk cirrhotic patient controls provided by OHSU. OHSU will then take the same vesicle preps and determine protein profiles. A collaboration agreement and IRB are approved and a pilot study is underway, funded by a grant.

“With our technology and OHSU’s considerable expertise, I am confident that we can find these much-needed biomarkers. Imagine at-risk patients monitoring their liver health by simply dropping a urine sample into the mail. The stability of exosomes in urine makes this possible.” said P. Shannon Pendergrast, chief science officer at Ymir Genomics, LLC.