Mirxes and NCCS Launch CIRRHOClear™: A Breakthrough Blood Test for Early Liver Cirrhosis Risk Stratification

(From right) Prof Pierce Chow, Senior Consultant in the Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology at Singapore General Hospital and National Cancer Centre Singapore, and Dr Zhou Lihan, Co-Founder and CEO of Mirxes, launch CIRRHOClear™ a blood-based microRNA test designed to identify liver cirrhosis risk before symptoms appear.

CIRRHOClear™ leverages intellectual property jointly owned by Mirxes and NCCS, developed from the landmark liver study, ELEGANCE¹. Licensed to Mirxes for use in its proprietary microRNA (miRNA) panel technology, it identifies individuals at risk of developing liver cirrhosis before symptoms appear, enabling proactive early intervention and disease management.

SINGAPORE, 16 OCTOBER 2026 – Building on the success of their strategic Public-Private Partnership, Mirxes, a leading global RNA technology company, and the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) today announced the official launch of CIRRHOClear™, a non-invasive, blood-based microRNA (miRNA) test designed to identify liver cirrhosis risk before symptoms appear. CIRRHOClear™ was developed with findings from ELEGANCE, a first-of-its-kind cohort study of 2,000 participants with liver disease, aimed at building more precise clinical tools to identify individuals at highest risk of serious disease progression. The ELEGANCE study is a whole-of-nation effort led by NCCS.

2. CIRRHOClear™ is now commercially available and ready for clinical integration. Offered initially as a Laboratory-Developed Test (LDT) at M Diagnostics, the CAP-accredited clinical laboratory of Mirxes, this innovative test addresses a critical gap in preventive liver healthcare. In clinical validation studies, CIRRHOClear™ demonstrated a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 95% in detecting liver cirrhosis. Current screening methods for liver cirrhosis lack the sensitivity to detect early-stage disease, and present hurdles in primary care.

Understanding CIRRHOClear™: Technical & Clinical Overview

3. CIRRHOClear™ is an advanced blood test that analyses specific miRNA biomarkers in a standard blood sample. Using a proprietary algorithm proven in extensive clinical studies, the test accurately distinguishes liver cirrhosis from non-cirrhotic liver conditions. It provides a straightforward risk classification — High Risk, Intermediate Risk, or Low Risk — reflecting the likelihood of liver cirrhosis being present at the time of testing.

4. Designed for adults aged 40 and older, CIRRHOClear™ serves as a simple tool to help physicians identify liver cirrhosis risk early in higher-risk individuals, including those with fatty liver disease, chronic hepatitis, alcohol-related liver conditions, or suspected liver scarring.

Addressing the Hidden Burden & Diagnostic Challenges of Liver Cirrhosis

5. Liver cirrhosis is a severe condition characterised by progressive scarring and hardening of the liver that often develops silently. Early stages frequently go unnoticed because standard blood investigations such as liver function tests and platelet counts can remain normal, allowing damage to progress unchecked. Unmanaged cirrhosis can lead to liver failure and the most common form of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in men and the fifth in women in Singapore. Therefore, early detection is crucial, as only 20% of liver cancer cases are currently diagnosed at an early stage when cure is possible.

6. Furthermore, traditional diagnostic methods present clear hurdles in primary care:

• Limitations of Standard Screening: Routine blood tests for liver enzymes and ultrasound lack sensitivity for early-stage scarring. Accurate imaging techniques, such as transient elastography and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), are difficult to access because they are restricted to specialist centres, creating significant care bottlenecks. 
• Invasive Alternatives: Liver biopsy remains the gold standard but is invasive and carries risks of pain and bleeding, making it unsuitable for routine population screening.

Ecosystem Fit: Transforming Healthcare Models

7. CIRRHOClear™ is designed as an upstream screening tool that could expand access for high-risk populations, track changes in disease severity as miRNA profiles evolve, and flag the need for timely medical intervention before irreversible damage occurs. It is not designed to replace standard-of-care screening tools such as transient elastography, but rather to serve as a blood test in primary care settings. If included as part of routine health check-ups, it could provide an accessible and affordable way to flag asymptomatic individuals who have underlying advanced fibrosis or early cirrhosis.

8. "Early detection is our best tool to alter the disease trajectory of chronic liver conditions," said Professor Pierce Chow, Senior Consultant in the Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology at Singapore General Hospital and NCCS and Principal Investigator of the ELEGANCE study. "By identifying liver cirrhosis at an early, actionable stage, CIRRHOClear™ can provide physicians with a practical risk-stratification tool to guide timely clinical decisions that would benefit their patients."

9. "The commercial launch of CIRRHOClear™ demonstrates the immense impact of the public-private partnership between NCCS and Mirxes in bridging bench-to-bedside innovation," said Dr. Zhou Lihan, Co-Founder and CEO of Mirxes. "Building on our proven RNA platform, which has successfully demonstrated early detection in stomach and lung cancers, we are confident that CIRRHOClear™ will empower primary care providers to detect liver scarring early. This shift transforms liver care from reactive treatment to proactive prevention, curbing the progression of unmanaged cirrhosis to end-stage liver failure and liver cancer."

¹EarLy DEtection of HCC: miRNA, microbiome and imaGing biomArkers in the evolution of chroNiC livEr Disease. The ELEGANCE study is a nationwide collaboration involving six hospitals, eight SingHealth Polyclinics, all three medical schools in Singapore, and other academic and industry partners. Participating hospitals include Changi General Hospital, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), National University Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, Sengkang General Hospital, and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

About Mirxes

Founded in Singapore in 2014, Mirxes (2629.HK) is a leading RNA technology company dedicated to making early detection solutions accessible. Leveraging its proprietary, industry-leading microRNA detection platform, Mirxes developed GASTROClear™, a regulatory-approved, first-in-class blood test for gastric cancer screening. The company is also advancing a robust clinical pipeline of single- and multi-cancer tests for high-incidence indications — including lung, colorectal, liver, and breast cancers — as well as disease screening, in collaboration with renowned academic and clinical institutions globally. Complementary to its core early detection tests, Mirxes commercialises a strong portfolio of advanced PCR and NGS tests for both clinical oncology and biopharma discovery use, supported by integrated in-house R&D, Industry 4.0 medical device manufacturing, and CAP-accredited clinical diagnostic capabilities. For more information, visit https://mirxes.com/ and follow Mirxes on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

About National Cancer Centre Singapore

The National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) is a leading national and regional tertiary cancer centre dedicated to advancing cancer care, research and education. With a comprehensive suite of specialties and services, NCCS treats all cancers and offers personalised and multidisciplinary care to ensure that patients receive holistic, compassionate care and support. Advanced and innovative treatments such as proton therapy at the Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre, immunotherapy, and cell therapy are available at NCCS to give patients the best treatment outcomes.

Ranked among the top cancer centres in Asia, NCCS is globally recognised for its research expertise, with clinicians and scientists collaborating with local and international partners to conduct cutting-edge clinical and translational research that makes a real impact and offers hope of a cancer-free tomorrow. As an academic healthcare institution, NCCS is committed to nurturing future generations by delivering specialised training to local and overseas oncology healthcare professionals. For more information, please visit www.nccs.com.sg.

For media enquiries, please contact:

David Yeo
Vice President, Strategic Relations and Public Affairs, Mirxes
Email: davidyeo@mirxes.com 

Dharshini Subbiah
NCCS Corporate Communications
Email: dharshini.subbiah@nccs.com.sg