Samsung invests in US biotech firm specialized in early cancer detection

SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics and Samsung C&T will jointly invest $110 million in Grail, a U.S. biotechnology company specializing in early cancer detection, as the South Korean conglomerate expands its footprint in digital health care, the firms said Friday.

Grail, a subsidiary of Illumina, has developed technology that detects cancer-related DNA fragments in blood samples and uses artificial intelligence to predict both the presence and likely location of cancer.

Its flagship product, Galleri, can identify more than 50 types of cancer through a single blood test. Since its launch in 2021, the company has performed more than 400,000 tests worldwide.

Under the partnership, Samsung Electronics plans to integrate Grail’s data with its Samsung Health platform to enhance personalized health monitoring and preventive care services. Samsung C&T, the group’s trading and construction arm, will exclusively distribute the Galleri test in South Korea and collaborate with Grail to expand access in Singapore and Japan.

“This investment and partnership aim to improve health through technology, offering personalized digital health experiences,” said Park Heon-soo, head of Samsung Electronics’ digital health team.

The move underscores Samsung’s growing ambitions in the health technology sector, as the company looks to pair its consumer electronics and data platforms with advances in medical diagnostics.

* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.

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