Element Biosciences, a U.S. biotechnology company whose largest shareholder is Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), will unveil early next year a technology that makes cancer cells easier to analyze and sharply improves research efficiency. Through its partnership with Element, which holds some of the world's most advanced genetic analysis technology, Samsung Electronics plans to strengthen its influence in the next-generation medical market that could accelerate research into intractable diseases and the development of new drugs.
Molly He, chief executive of Element, held a business briefing at the Rise Hotel in Seoul's Mapo district on the 20th and said the company "plans to launch early next year a new technology that uses direct in-sample sequencing, or DISS." She added that researchers "will be able to detect mutations, including cancer, directly from tissue samples and understand where disease actually begins."
Element supplies the medical and biotechnology industries with research instruments that can analyze biological materials, including DNA, which carries genetic information, with 99.99% accuracy, the highest level in the industry. The equipment speeds up research by eliminating the complex work of extracting and purifying genetic material from cells before analysis.
The DISS technology that Element's instruments will support from early next year goes beyond single cells to analyze tissue — groups of cells — as a unit, allowing rapid identification of mutations such as cancer cells. Michael Previte, chief technology officer, said the technology "can classify tumors, identify their types and analyze genetic mutations, immune activity and the tumor microenvironment." He added that researchers "can make real decisions based on data obtained through a very simple process."
He said the company will cement its leadership in the genetic analysis market with three new products, including Cytoss, the world's first multiomics solution, and Vitali, a next-generation genome analysis instrument. Multiomics is a technology that simultaneously analyzes a range of biological information from a single cell, including cell morphology, protein expression and the entire transcriptome. Vitali's main selling point is its low cost of $100 per run.
He also stressed the company's cooperation with Samsung Electronics alongside its technology development. She said Element has "secured more than $800 million, including the investment received from Samsung Electronics," adding that the company will "support researchers in finding answers to a range of biological questions that have been difficult to resolve with existing analysis technologies." Element chose Seoul as the first stop on a global road show that will continue in the United States, Germany and Sweden, inviting about 100 industry officials including from Samsung, signaling plans to expand cooperation with South Korea.
Samsung Electronics became Element's largest shareholder through a $175 million Series E investment in June this year, following its participation in the company's Series D round in 2024. Samsung Electronics plans to combine Element's technology with artificial intelligence and user data such as sleep and exercise records to upgrade personalized healthcare services.
