Liquid Mine

Liquid Mine is a Japanese MedTech company that spun out of the University of Tokyo's Institute of Medical Science in November 2019. The company was founded by Dr. Mikiya Kondo, a hematologist who, after five years of treating leukemia patients, sought to commercialize a less invasive and more precise monitoring method. He was later joined by Tomokazu Kishimoto, who has a background in sales at pharmaceutical and medical ventures and now serves as CEO.

The firm is focused on providing a better alternative to the painful and burdensome bone marrow biopsies traditionally used to monitor leukemia. Its core product is 'MyRD', a high-precision, minimally invasive monitoring system for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD) in leukemia patients. The system utilizes liquid biopsy, which involves a simple blood test, combined with proprietary genetic analysis to create tailor-made tests for individual patients. This allows for the accurate tracking of leukemia cells, enabling early detection of recurrence and providing a clearer picture of treatment effectiveness.

By replacing invasive bone marrow aspirations with a blood test, MyRD significantly reduces the physical and mental strain on patients. The business model targets leukemia patients and their medical providers. The company is working towards gaining regulatory approval and insurance coverage in Japan to facilitate widespread clinical adoption. Liquid Mine has received funding from several venture capital firms, including Incubate Fund and Plug and Play Japan, and has been recognized in various competitions, winning the Excellence Award at the Japan Healthcare Business Contest 2022.

Keywords: liquid biopsy, leukemia monitoring, genetic analysis, MedTech, minimal residual disease, MRD detection, MyRD system, oncology diagnostics, cancer recurrence, blood cancer, hematology, non-invasive testing, precision medicine, personalized medicine, University of Tokyo spin-out, genomic medicine, cancer diagnostics, tailor-made therapy