Genome Sequencing to Predict, Prevent, Treat Diseases

By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

You may regard the possibility of foreseeing all the hereditary diseases you could develop in your lifetime and receiving tailor-made prevention or treatment for them as science fiction.

But this is happening in Korea, with conglomerates such as Samsung joining the race. Just seven years after the sequencing of the 3 billion DNA base pairs of the human genome was achieved, the sector business is rapidly emerging as a goldmine for the medical industry.

Each human being has a unique and complicated genetic map, and by sequencing their genes a person could have access to information on whether they have a predisposition to diseases with genetic components ― cancers, diabetes and others.

Samsung Medical Center signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung SDS and Life Technology on March 24 announcing that it will engage in the genome sequencing business.

"We have been passionate about the future of cancer treatment and the most likely target will be leukemia to start with," Rhee Jong-chul, chief director of the center, said. "We will eventually design treatments for individual patients and furthermore, develop target molecular drugs using statistics and data generated. This will be another business model for Korean hospitals, who have limited profit-sources," Rhee said.

Samsung is the newest entrant in the burgeoning business. There are over 20 companies in the U.S. providing initial information with business leaders such as Google and Microsoft joining in as investors.

The results are not only useful in predicting disease, but can also be used in discovering people's heritage.

In Korea, biotech company Theragen has been providing the service since March - the first in Asia. The company is working with Gachon University of Medicine and Science, which sequenced 3 billion base pairs in 2008.

The company's service, "Hellogenom," decodes 1 million genome base pairs per person. By sending a saliva sample from a kit the firm provides, a person can be notified of their susceptibility to 50 to 100 widely known diseases or conditions.

"We have received quite a few requests ― some from overseas. By just paying a certain amount of money, you will be able to know what diseases you may suffer from until you die. It is a big step forward for all mankind," said Park Jong-hwa, a director of the company.

Park said Korea is competitive in analyzing the decoded data.

"Sequencing is just the beginning of the whole process. With help from the top-notch information-technology industry, I bet we are in a far more advantageous position that our competitor countries," he said.

Park was positive about his newest rival, Samsung.

"They must have thought this over numerous times and set up the best business model. I think we can enhance national competitiveness and dominate the market, which is expected to grow to 200 trillion won within the next three to four years," he said.

bjs@koreatimes.co.kr

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