Seegene Develops Diagnostic Reagent for Monkeypox

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Seegene announced on the 28th that it has completed the development of the monkeypox diagnostic reagent ‘Novaplex MPXV Assay’.

Monkeypox, which was previously considered an endemic disease within the African continent, has spread to more than 50 countries worldwide after being detected in the UK last month. On the 22nd, a confirmed case imported from abroad was identified in Korea. The World Health Organization (WHO) also emphasized on the 25th that monkeypox is a “clearly evolving health threat” and urged governments to conduct surveillance, contact tracing, and diagnostic testing. The fatality rate of monkeypox is around 3-6%, with children and immunocompromised individuals classified as high-risk groups.

However, since monkeypox has available treatments, rapid treatment is possible if an accurate diagnosis is made. Experts advise that considering the incubation period can be up to 21 days, proactive genetic amplification (PCR) testing of suspected cases is necessary to quickly identify infections and prevent further spread, as early use of treatment is more effective.

Seegene succeeded in developing this reagent through 20 years of reagent development expertise and its proprietary AI-based reagent development automation system, the ‘Seegene Digitalized Development System (SGDDS).’ The company explained that it can determine the presence of the monkeypox virus in just one and a half hours. The developed product will be supplied to countries such as those in Europe where monkeypox is spreading.

Cheon Jong-yoon, CEO of Seegene, said, “Monkeypox is an example showing how an endemic disease can spread worldwide, serving as a warning that another pandemic can threaten human health at any time,” adding, “We will strive to develop products that block the possibility of a pandemic through accurate diagnosis even if new viruses emerge.”