June 4, 2024 – Global digital healthcare leader Macrogen announced it has become the first non-medical institution in South Korea to receive authorization to establish a biobank. Leveraging over 27 years of genetic research data and more than 500,000 accumulated genetic analyses, coupled with medical information from its Macrogen Medical Foundation Health Examination Center, the company has successfully integrated a comprehensive data-bio bank. This includes human biological resources available for public use globally, creating a strong foundation for AI-powered digital healthcare.
A biobank is an institution that collects and preserves human biological materials—such as blood, urine, tissues, and cells—and associated data like epidemiological, clinical, and genetic information through donor consent and deposition procedures. These resources are then utilized or provided to laboratories and research facilities. With authorization from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Macrogen has initiated the development of a Korean-style bio-bank akin to the UK's UK Biobank, the US’s All of Us initiative, and Finland’s FinnGenn project. The company plans to provide high-quality specimens to clinical research institutions worldwide, contributing to new drug development, medical device innovation, disease causation studies, and personalized treatment advancements. Macrogen aims to strengthen precision medicine research and the bio/digital healthcare industry.
In the era of generative AI, the integration of genetic and lifestyle data with human biological resource research is indispensable for developing personalized precision medicine. Aligning with its health platform GenTok, launched in June 2023, Macrogen Bio-Bank will systematically consolidate vast genetic information, diverse ethnic samples, and other research and clinical resources. This initiative will not only expedite the application and review process for clinical samples essential to biotechnology research but also address the rapidly growing demands of the in-vitro diagnostic industry and broader bio-health sectors, potentially boosting revenue.
Furthermore, Macrogen will manage the bio-bank to meet global standards, incorporating its CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) and CAP (College of American Pathologists) certifications achieved in 2018. Plans are in place to expand CAP-CLIA certifications to include bio-bank operations.
The environmental benefits of the bio-bank are also noteworthy. By minimizing the disposal of experimental materials, the initiative enhances economic efficiency and reduces waste. Macrogen plans to operate the bio-bank with a focus on supporting medical research while ding ESG values into its processes.
Macrogen CEO Kim Changhoon said, "As Macrogen celebrates its 27th anniversary this year, the establishment of our biobank represents a culmination of key components in our mid-to-long-term roadmap, alongside the 2020 founding of the GeneHealth Health Examination Center and the 2023 launch of the GenTok healthcare platform. This is a significant milestone in realizing precision medicine, offering substantial contributions to reducing national healthcare costs as Korea transitions into a super-aged society." He added, "Intending to provide a $100 personalized DNA blueprint for the 100-year life era, Macrogen envisions a five-year plan for a 10-million-person biobank project. We anticipate creating a broader platform for research collaboration, particularly by contributing to national bio-big data initiatives through specimen deposits."
The growing importance of genetic resources is expected further to benefit the biobank’s operations in the long term. Genetic resources, defined as materials with observable or potential utility for genetic phenomena, have garnered increased attention. With the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) now mandating the disclosure of gene resource origins in patent applications, domestic pharmaceutical and biotech companies are increasingly prioritizing the strategic value of human biological materials and related genetic resources.