[Featured Stock] PeopleBio, US Companies' Dementia Treatment Drugs Receive Consecutive FDA Approvals... Early Diagnosis Technology Highlighted↑

PeopleBio is showing strong performance. This is interpreted as early diagnosis technology for dementia gaining attention as dementia treatments developed by U.S. pharmaceutical companies have consecutively received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

As of 9:30 AM on the 12th, PeopleBio is trading at 11,180 KRW, up 3.04% compared to the previous day.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 'Aduhelm' (generic name Aducanumab), jointly developed by Biogen and Eisai last year, followed by 'Leqembi' (generic name Lecanemab), also developed by them. Furthermore, 'Donanemab,' developed by Eli Lilly and currently in clinical trials, succeeded in Phase 3 by slowing cognitive and daily living ability decline by 35%, raising expectations for its approval.

Along with the blossoming dementia treatment market, the importance of early diagnosis is also emerging. It is because confirming the onset in the early stages quickly and administering medication timely is essential to achieve proper effectiveness. Accordingly, global market research firm Inkwood Research projected that the dementia diagnosis market will grow from $1.598 billion in 2020 at an average annual growth rate of 4.5%, reaching $1.989 billion (approximately 2.65 trillion KRW) by 2025.

Currently, dementia diagnostic methods mainly use Positron Emission Tomography (PET) or cerebrospinal fluid testing. However, PET is a non-reimbursed item, so patients must bear costs exceeding 1 million KRW. Cerebrospinal fluid testing costs about 500,000 KRW, roughly half the price, but obtaining samples is difficult and causes significant discomfort to patients. The development of techniques to diagnose Alzheimer's through blood tests is why this method has recently gained attention.

PeopleBio launched the Alzheimer's blood diagnostic brand 'AlzOn' last year and has already moved toward commercialization. They reported sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 92% in clinical trials. The company is also pursuing expansion into overseas markets such as Japan and the United States. The company's sales have rapidly grown, achieving 4.4 billion KRW in annual sales last year and targeting 10 billion KRW this year.