Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Sky Labs launches CART BP blood pressure monitoring ring
Sky Labs CEO Lee Byung-hwan introduces the company’s blood pressure monitoring ring, CART BP, at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas hotel in Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
By Baek Byung-yeul
Sky Labs, a local biotechnology company, is launching CART BP, a ring-type blood pressure monitoring device approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the company said Thursday.
The biotech company said CART BP recently became eligible for insurance coverage as the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service recognized it as a reimbursable medical device for prescription in hospitals. This development enables patients to manage their blood pressure conveniently and effectively around the clock, the company added.
"The insurance coverage of CART BP is the first step toward the practical use of wearable devices in the health care industry here," Sky Labs CEO Lee Byung-hwan said at a press conference.
The CEO emphasized that the wearable device is not simply a smart ring product but a certified medical device, adding that Sky Labs will lead the global market for blood pressure management wearable devices.
"If data is accumulated through CART BP in the future, and big data analysis is conducted through AI, the era of wearable devices for blood pressure management will arrive not only in Korea but also worldwide," the CEO said.
Sky Labs’ blood pressure monitoring ring CART BP / Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
The company said with CART BP, users can continuously measure and monitor blood pressure for 24 hours, allowing them to adjust medication dosages based on various blood pressure data throughout the day. Also, users can effectively track their health data during sleep and exercise routines.
CART BP obtained approval as a blood pressure measurement medical device from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in March 2023. The company signed a domestic distribution contract with Daewoong Pharmaceutical in June last year and proceeded with the insurance coverage application process with the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.
Sky Labs plans to launch CART BP Pro for business-to-business hospital supply in July, and plans to introduce the business-to-customer CART BP in the second half of the year.
It plans to launch the product in Europe in the fourth quarter of this year. The company also said it expects to obtain product approval for CART BP in the United States by the end of next year.