Unigenebio has developed seven major cancer prediction and diagnosis kits (ROOCUT KIT-7) using molecular diagnosis technology. It has filed for patents on five related technologies. The main content is about amplifying and detecting a small number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and utilizing machine learning techniques in cancer analysis. Unigenebio’s cancer prediction and diagnosis kit can predict and diagnose seven types of cancers simultaneously while specifying an outbreak organ.
Currently, products launched as diagnosis kits for early diagnosis of cancer are only "Exact Sciences" from the United States, and "Genomictree," a colorectal cancer kit from Korea. The "non-small cell lung cancer diagnosis kit" sold by R and P is for applying secondary targeted anticancer drugs for patients who are resistant to primary anticancer drugs, not for early diagnosis.
According to the "2019 Newly Developed Medical Devices Prospect Analysis Report" by the Biotech Policy Research Center in 2019, the global molecular diagnostic device market is expected to reach $22 billion (24.24 trillion won) in 2023 from $15.1 billion (16.63 trillion won) in 2015. The market for molecular diagnosis of cancer is expected to reach 32% of it, which is 7 billion U.S. dollars (8.4 trillion Korean won).
Aiming at such an immense scale of cancer molecular diagnosis market, leading domestic and foreign companies and genetic diagnosis companies are making efforts to develop cancer diagnosis kits; however, they have not been able to overcome the barriers of cost and technology of early prediction and diagnosis market for the general public.
"In our case, we have our reagents for PCR and RT-PCR reagents that check the expression of circulating tumor cells needed for examination (diagnosis) in peripheral blood. We have independent algorithms that are necessary for diagnosis. We provide early prediction and diagnosis service for cancer that has already occurred, advanced cancer, as well as unnoticeable cancer, and even pre-stage cancer," Park Chan-ho, CEO of Unigenebio, said. "We provide quantitative data on cancer treatment prospects for cancer survivors (cancer-experienced) to provide scientific and systematic treatment information to prevent metastasis and recurrence," he added.
"If Unigenebio has developed a kit that predicts and diagnoses seven major cancers at the same time and has secured marketability, simplicity, accuracy, and quick diagnosis, it is worth calling it an innovation in the medical community," a medical staff commented, "All medical institutions will not hesitate to use the diagnostic kit."
"With the deepening of old aged society around the world, the paradigm of the medical market is shifting from treatment-oriented to prevention-oriented, and maintaining a healthy life through early detection and prevention has become more important than ever," Lee Wang Jae, an inventor and professor at Seoul National University Medical School, said and added, "Unigenebio diagnostics kit is a method using PCR (RT-PCR), the easiest and universal among many of CTCs application technologies to obtain diagnosis method, the versatility of the equipment, and economic feasibility."
Starting with the patent application, Unigenebio is planning for certifications of new medical technology within this year, and also from domestic FDA, CE, FDA U.S., and FDA China by 2021. If Unigenebio's seven cancer prediction and diagnosis kit technologies are certified by an authorized institution, another multinational bio company will emerge.
