Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- Macrogen, a leading biotech company and expert in genomic analysis in South Korea, will form a consortium with two domestic rivals to participate in a state pilot project aimed at establishing big data in biology. It is part of the so-called K-DNA project to support the development of new drugs, medical device products and the digital healthcare industry.

Macrogen said that it signed a business agreement with DNA Link, a biotech company specializing in genomic research, and Theragen, a genetic analysis service provider, to form a three-way consortium for a two-year pilot project.

Big data in biology helps to explore the role of data-driven analysis for reaching logical conclusions to solving biological problems. K-DNA is a multi-departmental project that collects clinical samples of one million healthy people, cancer patients and patients with rare diseases and produces and utilizes genetic big data.

Macrogen said the consortium would create standards for large-scale management of clinical samples, production and management of next-generation sequencing data, and pipeline construction. "The consortium will focus all of its capabilities on this pilot project, maintain close cooperation, and contribute to laying the foundation for the domestic bio-health industry," the company said in a statement.

In an address marking the third anniversary of his inauguration on May 10, President Moon Jae-in presented a new national goal to establish his country as a leader in the process of reorganizing the post-pandemic global order, citing South Korea's competitiveness and potential in the bio-industry as well as strengths in epidemic prevention, non-face-to-face medical services and online education and transactions.