"In next 10 years, there will be the time when individuals have their genes analyzed free of charge from the government. If you get check-ups from birth, you will be able to know your genetic vulnerability for diseases and prevent them in advance so that you can live a healthy lifestyle. 

EDGC co-CEO Shin Sang-cheol emphasized the importance of genome analysis which is the core of personalized medicine.

Personalized medicine refers to preventive treatment that detects potential diseases early with the analysis of genome, an individual's genetic information, to diagnose or effectively care for health condition. In addition, it is possible to treat only targeted cells without harming normal cells. According to Biotech Policy Research Center, the global personalized medicine market size, which is estimated $47.4 billion in 2017, is expected to grow about 13.3% annually to $100.3 billion by 2023. Also, it is forecasted that more than half of the world's population will get genetic analysis for personalized medicine by 2030.

Facing this era of personalized medicine, EDGC is having a portfolio of 19 genetic testing services including newborn screening(bebegene), direct-to-consumer genetic testing(gene2me), and cancer and disease prediction testing(gene2me Plus).

Shin said, “The number of samples of EDGC's genetic testing services, which started in 2013, was 1 or 2 in the second half of 2015. But it exceeded 100 cases a month in 2016 and is now reaching 4,000-5,000 cases a month. Last year, 20 million people in U.S. received genetic testing and it is expected to outpace 100 million within 3 years. So Korean bio companies will not be able to counter the global trend of genome analysis anymore.”

Then, he argues that in next 3 or 4 years, people around the world will have their genome data and use relevant services, and industries will also be reorganized on genome basis.

Based on its genetic testing services, EDGC is accelerating its global growth in Thailand, United States, India, Philippines, and Singapore. In particular, EDGC has rapidly entered overseas diagnostics market of more than 20 countries with having acquired CLIA and CAP certification.

"The number of newborns in Korea has dropped to 0.2 million, while the number is 3.5 million in U.S., 17 million in China, and 27 million in India. We have established a strategy for overseas expansion focusing on populated countries. We plan to make Songdo headquarters in Incheon into a global R&D organization, and sell and market our services and products globally.", he said.

At the same time, EDGC aims to focus on ‘precision medicine’ and ‘drug development’ this year.

The company is currently preparing to combine genetic data and medical data of 0.1 million people in order to realize precision medicine. Previously, Google has already invested hundreds of billions of dollars to connect genetic and medical data of 10,000 people. The company is also planning to develop new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease. If previous research on drugs for dementia only targeted patients with dementia, patients from 40 to 60 years old with mild cognitive impairment are the target this time. EDGC plans to develop new drugs by tracking them for 5 to 20 years and discovering biomarkers for dementia.

Shin said, "If we gather people with Alzheimer's genes and if we monitor and manage them twice a year to find the cause of dementia and get data, then we will be able to develop medicine for dementia and prevent the disease early. A cohort study is also being prepared.”

EDGC, which has devoted to various genome data-driven researches, is trying to contribute to helping the emerging domestic genome industry to take root.

“We are making great efforts to industrialize EDGC’s genetic research with the aim of changing people’s perception so that we can create a new culture of donating and sharing genome data in the future,” Shin said.