WSI Develops Korea's First Endoscope for Pet Spinal Surgery... Targeting 1 Trillion Won Market

WSI, a pharmaceutical and medical device specialist company, announced on the 14th that it has jointly developed a uniportal endoscope and medical imaging processing device for companion animals with Professor Kang Byung-jae's team from Seoul National University College of Veterinary Medicine, animal hospitals, and orthopedic and neurosurgery specialists. The medical device has also obtained manufacturing approval for animal medical devices from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Among domestic companies, WSI is the only one that has developed an endoscope for companion animal spinal surgery. Since March last year, the company has been researching and developing a minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery method using companion animal cadavers (dissection corpses) together with Professor Kang Byung-jae's team (Clinical Assistant Professor Kim Woo-kyung, Veterinarian Park Jae-young). Unlike traditional open surgery, this method uses an endoscope to perform spinal surgery with minimal incisions.

Assistant Professor Kim Woo-kyung said, "Endoscopic surgery minimizes tissue damage and complications, reducing the postoperative hospitalization time for companion animals," adding, "Companion animals can recover their health faster than with traditional open surgery."

A WSI official stated, "This opportunity has established a foothold for entering the companion animal medical market," and expressed the company's ambition, saying, "Through continuous research and development, we plan to expand the use of endoscopes for animals and eventually enter the global companion animal medical market."

Meanwhile, according to the '2023 Korea Companion Animal Report' published by KB Financial Group Management Research Institute, the number of households raising companion animals in Korea is 5.52 million, totaling approximately 12.62 million people. The Korea Animal Pharmaceuticals Association reported that the domestic animal pharmaceuticals industry (including animal medical devices) market size in 2022 grew by 5.1% compared to the previous year, reaching 1.4313 trillion KRW.