Patient A woke up in the morning, picked up her smartphone, and launched the "PICKEAT" application (app). This app recommends healthy meal plans and exercise amounts based on the dietary and medication data of diabetes patients. After eating the healthy meal plan recommended by "PICKEAT," A took out a painless insulin pen called "PICKPEN." All of this was done without visiting a hospital or following a doctor's guidance. The system was established by the digital healthcare company, "Onjourney."
Lee Sang-hoon, the CEO of Onjourney, gained market attention with the food tech platform "Onul Jibap." However, while managing his diabetes, he determined the need for digital healthcare to solve the inconveniences of existing products, leading to the founding of Onjourney in January 2021.
"Diabetes patients always self-administer insulin. However, inaccurate self-diagnosis can lead to the risk of hypoglycemic shock. We provide a recommended daily insulin dose suitable for the changing health status of diabetes patients based on our self-developed artificial intelligence (AI) 'optimal preference matching' technology."
In addition to the app, Onjourney has developed and is selling the painless insulin pen "PICKPEN," which has no visible needle and automatically injects with a single button press. Users can use it without seeing the needle and have lower pain concerns. They are also developing a continuous glucose monitor (a device that provides blood sugar levels and trends). This is directly addressing the issues of existing continuous glucose monitors, which have low accuracy and are expensive.
"Diabetes patients prescribed insulin must self-inject more than four times a day. The pain and fear can be overwhelming. We developed 'PICKPEN' to solve this. Moreover, the continuous glucose monitor we're developing will be more affordable and highly accurate compared to existing products. Existing blood glucose monitors use 'enzymes' to measure blood sugar levels, which are sensitive to humidity and temperature changes, making them difficult to use for long periods. We are developing it using 'non-enzyme catalysts' to ensure easy production and durability."
Last year, Onjourney recorded sales of 1.83 billion won and has gained recognition for its competitiveness in the market, securing investment of 1 billion won so far. The number of customers acquired through Onul Jibap and "PICKEAT" has reached 210,000, with approximately 15,000 monthly active users (MAU). This year, after producing prototypes of continuous glucose monitors and insulin patches, they plan to start clinical trials at Bundang Cha Medical Center and Pohang Semyeong Christian Hospital next year. The goal is to commercialize the products by 2027.
"Our business's objective is to establish a 'continuous management system for diabetes treatment.' Blood sugar measurements will be taken using the continuous glucose monitor we've developed, and after checking the real-time blood sugar levels on "PICKEAT," recommended insulin doses will be administered based on suggestions from our self-developed AI."
With over 6 million diabetes patients in Korea alone and a significant global market worth 41 trillion won, Lee's goal is not solely focused on revenue. He is continuously searching for solutions that understand the overall lives of patients and induce sustainable changes.
"This business is not simply chasing market opportunities, but goes further to change the lives of countless patients. No matter what difficulties arise, I must not stop and must continue to pursue this mission to the end."