Qurin® launches Qatra™ gDNA extraction kit for large-volume urine processing

• New Research Use Only kit combines proprietary bead surface chemistry and magnetic bead retrieval to enable streamlined genomic DNA extraction from large urine volumes. 
• Processing larger volumes (up to 400 mL) may lead to a 7.6-fold increased total DNA yield compared to conventional 40-50 mL volumes.

LEIDEN, Netherlands, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Qurin®, a research and development company focused on urine-based liquid biopsy diagnostics in oncology, announces the launch of the Qatra^TM Genomic DNA Extraction Lab Kit (RUO), developed specifically for the extraction of genomic DNA (gDNA) from large volumes of urine.

Qatra enables researchers to process urine volumes ranging from standard laboratory samples (40-50 mL) up to a full void (400 mL), providing access to more of the biological material available within the original sample. At the core of the technology is Qurin's proprietary magnetic bead surface chemistry (patent pending), designed for efficient DNA capture from whole urine, combined with a proprietary magnetic retrieval system (patent pending) optimized for recovering DNA-loaded beads directly from large sample volumes. Qatra processes the sample in a single streamlined workflow, reducing sample handling and hands-on processing, while preserving the integrity of the recovered genomic DNA. This is an advantage over current workflows that require large urine samples to be concentrated or divided across multiple extractions. The workflow has also been developed with automation in mind, supporting scalable processing of large-volume urine samples.

In internal studies, Qatra demonstrated greater DNA recovery, with average yields rising 7.6-fold as sample volume increased from 50 to 400 mL. These findings demonstrate the potential of large-volume processing to recover more of the DNA present in a urine sample, particularly when biomarkers are present at low concentrations and analysing only a small aliquot may leave a substantial proportion of the available biomarker material unused.

Qatra R&D Program

The Qatra Genomic DNA Extraction Lab Kit (RUO) is the first product to emerge from Qurin's broader Qatra R&D Program, which is dedicated to developing technologies for the capture and extraction of biomarkers from urine.

Urine is an attractive matrix for molecular research because it can be collected non-invasively and repeatedly and is naturally available in relatively large volumes. Its potential may also extend beyond cancers of the urogenital tract, as small fragments of circulating cell-free DNA, including tumour-derived DNA, can cross the renal filtration barrier and enter urine. At the same time, DNA and other biomarkers can occur at low concentrations, creating a need for technologies capable of efficiently accessing biomarker material from the available urine volume.

The broader Qatra R&D Program is therefore being developed as a modular platform for laboratory and at-home biomarker extraction from urine. The platform is designed to enable high-quality biomarker extraction from volumes up to 400 mL (an average full void) while supporting automated processing. Its modular approach is envisioned to accommodate different biomarker classes, including genomic DNA, cell-free DNA, RNA, extracellular vesicles, proteins and other, using bead-based modules for laboratory workflows and cartridge-based modules for at-home collection and biomarker capture.

"Urine has tremendous potential for molecular analysis, but we need technologies designed around the unique characteristics of the sample," said Marc Peeters, CEO at Qurin. "With Qatra, our aim is simple: process more of the available urine, recover more of its molecular information, and make that process as efficient and scalable as possible."

The Qatra genomic DNA Extraction Lab Kit is available for Research Use Only (RUO) and is not intended for use in diagnostic procedures.

About Qurin

Qurin is a research and development company focused on urine-based liquid biopsy diagnostics in oncology, building an end-to-end platform that connects biomarker extraction with clinically actionable assays. Its two complementary R&D programs address both sides of this approach: the Qatra R&D Program develops technologies to efficiently capture and extract high-quality biomarkers, including DNA, RNA and proteins, from urine volumes up to 400 mL (an average full void), while the Qumbra^TM R&D Program develops assays and interpretive software that translate urinary biomarker signals into clinically meaningful insights. Together, the programs aim to unlock the potential of urine across the oncology care pathway. For more information, visit www.qurin.com.