SeaSun Biomaterials, a bio-venture company, is advancing to overseas markets with its genetic diagnostic products.

Park Hee-kyung, CEO of SeaSun Biomaterials (photo), interviewed at the headquarters in Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon on the 4th, and said, “We will tie up the diagnostic products we have developed so far and enter the Asian market, including China, Taiwan, and the Philippines.”

Founded in 2013, the company has developed a diagnostic kit for hereditary hearing loss, a diagnostic kit for fetal chromosomal abnormalities, and a genetic mutation diagnostic kit. The hereditary hearing loss diagnostic kit has dramatically reduced the cost and time required for diagnosis. The price is only one-seventh of the existing product. The time it took two days for the test results to come out was also reduced to 4 hours. Last year, it obtained approval to sell the product from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and is undergoing the procedure for listing insurance benefits. CEO Park said, “We have developed a technology to test 11 mutations in 5 genes that are highly related to hereditary hearing loss at once.” “Because it tests multiple mutations at once, it saves time and money compared to existing genetic testing methods. I can.”

A diagnostic kit for chromosomal abnormality syndrome that checks for chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus requires only the mother's blood. Previously, amniotic fluid had to be collected directly by piercing the mother's stomach with an injection. Down syndrome, Edward's syndrome, and Patau syndrome can be diagnosed with a single test.

The company has also succeeded in developing a “genetic mutation (MSI) diagnostic kit” that diagnoses whether a specific anticancer drug can be used. Last May, it applied for a marketing permit to the Food and Drug Administration. This product is a product that catches genetic mutations that occur due to abnormal gene function. If a result is found that there is an abnormality in the function of a gene, an immune anticancer drug that targets the gene mutation can be used regardless of the type of cancer. In Korea and Europe, the approval of the sale of the MSI diagnostic kit is underway.

SeaSun Biomaterials is also developing a target treatment for ribonucleic acid (RNA). RNA is a high molecular weight compound that transmits genetic information when DNA makes proteins. Cancer is known to be caused by mutations that occur in the process of DNA making proteins. If genetic shearing technology directly edits DNA to prevent the occurrence of cancer-causing proteins, RNA treatment is a treatment that targets RNA, not DNA.

CEO Park said, “Since DNA is inherited, there is a risk of side effects when manipulated with genetic scissors, etc.,” and “RNA is not inherited, so it is relatively safe.”