The National Institute of Health and Welfare within the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, analyzed the whole genome sequences of 7,472 Koreans as part of the National Project of Bio Big Data pilot. Genetic variants were identified in 3.75 percent of the participants, with 2.17 percent related to cardiovascular diseases and 1.22 percent to hereditary cancer diseases, providing valuable insights for early diagnosis, genetic counseling, and management.
Korea, in contrast to the UK and the US, has been slower in accumulating genomic data. Robert McBride, General Manager of Illumina Intercontinental, emphasized the importance of diverse data across races and countries to tailor treatments globally. Korea is set to launch the National Project of Bio Big Data, spanning eight years, aiming to collect and analyze clinical information, genomic data, and life records of one million Koreans including rare and chronic diseases.
Illumina, a global leader in development and manufacture of genomic analysis instruments headquartered in San Diego, California, holds an 80 percent market share worldwide. They have contributed to genomic data projects in over 50 countries providing end-to-end solutions, spanning from DNA sample collection to final data analysis. They also previously participated in a two-year pilot project in collaboration with Korean companies in 2020.
The UK's Biobank program and the U.S.'s All of Us project have gathered genetic data from large populations, while Asian countries, such as China and Japan, are progressing in the field. McBride expressed support for Korea's efforts, given its strong IT infrastructure and healthcare facilities. "As a partner in more than 50 countries and having participated in the Korean pilot, we are ready to support the solution as a partner in this project," he said.
Illumina leads in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, enabling precise diagnostics and personalized treatments for cancer patients. Their 'NovaSeq' series and 'NovaSeq X Plus', can analyze the genomes of more than 20,000 people annually, used in prominent Korean hospitals. They hold an 80 percent market share in the Korean genome analysis market, collaborating with major local companies LabGenomics, Macrogen, Somagen, EDGC(245620), TeragenBio, and DNA Link.
"NGS enables accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment of cancer, but regional disparities mean that not all cancer patients around the world are able to benefit equitably, and we need to collect data that can be compared to other countries to better understand the characteristics of Koreans," McBride said.
Robert McBride, appointed as the first general manager of the Korea office in January this year, oversees Illumina's operations in the Intercontinental region, including Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Korea is the third-largest market in the Asia-Pacific for Illumina, particularly in comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP), a new generation of NGS that assesses biomarkers of a tumor in a single test to identify multiple genomic variations.
Illumina's NGS instruments play a vital role in global genomic analysis and cancer research. They also support Korean startups through their Solution Center, providing training and business support for NGS services to foster genomic analysis expertise.
"As genomics grows to this level, human capital is the most important thing, and Illumina is committed to building a workforce that can analyze genomes," said McBride.
This article was originally published on Nov. 20, 2023.