RaonSecure Files Patent for Korea's First 'Extended Reality (XR)-Based Laboratory Animal Autopsy Practice'

RaonSecure is enhancing its expertise by developing virtual environment practice content in basic research fields (cells, animals, research safety, etc.), including experimental animal necropsy practice, on the "world's first metaverse-based specialized practice platform, Raon Metademy."

IT security and authentication platform company RaonSecure (CEO Lee Soon-hyung, Lee Jung-ah) jointly filed a patent with the Catholic University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation for the "development of training content for necropsy, techniques, administration, blood collection, anesthesia, euthanasia, etc., on experimental animals using extended reality (XR) devices."

"Experimental animals" refer to animals used in experiments for food, health functional foods, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, safety management, quality control, and narcotics safety and quality control. According to the "2022 Animal Experiment Ethics Committee (IACUC) Operation and Animal Experiment Status Survey" by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, nearly 5 million experimental animals were used as test subjects in 2022 alone.

RaonSecure and Catholic University Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital expect that the metaverse-based experimental animal necropsy practice content will reduce the severe pain and unnecessary sacrifice experienced by experimental animals, thereby decreasing ethical issues related to animal experiments. It is also anticipated to partially resolve costs and environmental pollution problems associated with carcass waste disposal.

Alongside this patent application, RaonSecure and Catholic University Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital have begun jointly producing experimental animal necropsy practice content that allows realistic practice of essential skills for obtaining the Experimental Animal Technician certification and performing animal experiments, such as techniques, administration, blood collection, anesthesia, necropsy, and euthanasia, within the virtual environment of Raon Metademy. The produced experimental animal necropsy practice content will be supplied to universities, hospitals, research institutes, pharmaceutical companies, and other places requiring necropsy practice.

Raon Metademy is the only metaverse-based specialized practice platform in Korea, providing a highly realistic and immersive practice environment that enhances trainees' concentration during practice. Various specialized practice contents, including medical professional content, are continuously being added to the existing nursing techniques, physical therapy, caregiving, and IT security practice contents.

Lee Jung-ah, CEO of RaonSecure, said, "Raon Metademy's first domestic experimental animal necropsy practice content is expected to significantly resolve ethical issues related to animal experiments in medical research while becoming a successful case in the environmental (Environment) area of ESG management." She added, "We plan to expand the Raon Metademy business beyond the domestic medical research practice market to the overseas medical research practice market by utilizing the experimental animal necropsy practice content."

Cho Hyun-moo, head of the research support team at Catholic University Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital (PhD in Veterinary Medicine), stated, "The development of practice content based on this patent application is expected to serve as a virtuous cycle mediator that reduces unnecessary sacrifices of experimental animals and positively impacts the environment." He added, "We will do our best to develop and produce leading and innovative practice content not only in basic research and preclinical fields but also extending to clinical fields in the future."