[Featured Stock] ChunLab Analyzes Global COVID-19 Transmission Routes and Variants in 10 Minutes... Leading Global Standards

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] CheonLab's stock price is soaring. The news that it has launched the epidemiological tracking platform 'EzCOVID19,' which analyzes the transmission routes and mutation patterns of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) worldwide, and plans to monetize it, appears to have influenced the stock price.

As of 12:34 PM on the 16th, CheonLab is trading at 43,650 KRW, up 4.43% from the previous day.

A CheonLab representative explained, "The biggest advantage of the cloud-based COVID-19 virus analysis platform (EzCOVID19), developed with our own technology, is that it can be analyzed even in countries, research institutions, and hospitals/clinics that lack bioinformatics infrastructure or cannot conduct epidemiological investigations."

He added, "As long as there is next-generation sequencing (NGS) data of isolated strains or viruses directly collected from COVID-19 patients, one can quickly and accurately check the results compared and analyzed with global data. Anywhere in the world, by inputting COVID-19 virus genome data, analysis results can be confirmed in just 10 minutes."

Due to the global spread of the COVID-19 virus, governments worldwide are spending enormous costs and time monitoring the virus's mutation patterns. Accordingly, demand for bioinformatics analysis is also increasing. Among domestic companies, CheonLab operates 'EzBioCloud,' a cloud-based system with the world's largest user base in the bacterial diagnosis field. In line with global demand, it has built the world's first platform that can rapidly analyze NGS data and perform epidemiological investigations in a one-stop manner.

The analysis results are composed of content that compares tens of thousands of COVID-19 virus genome data produced worldwide to identify molecular genetic characteristics such as virus mutations, comparisons with existing viruses, and evolutionary patterns. Because mutation analysis can be performed quickly, continuous mutation analysis can help predict future variants and assist in the development of diagnostic kits, vaccines, and therapeutics for variants.

Recent research indicates that the COVID-19 virus can mutate approximately once every 12 days, and it is expected to take a considerable amount of time until the virus's epidemic ends. This underscores the importance of mutation tracking.

Prediction of COVID-19 virus mutations and evolutionary patterns can aid in the development of antiviral drugs that inhibit virus replication, such as Remdesivir and Avigan, and also analyze mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein, which binds to human cells. It is expected to be useful for developing gene vaccines targeting the RBD as well.

CheonLab is also expected to seek cooperation with global pharmaceutical companies. Consortiums utilizing COVID-19 whole-genome sequence data are actively being formed worldwide, including in the UK. Investments in this area are also accelerating.

CheonLab CEO Jong-sik Cheon said, "CheonLab will lead the global standards and popularization market in the bioinformatics field."

The analysis platform service can be accessed from anywhere in the world through the EzCOVID19 site. With the global spread of COVID-19, the existing PCR diagnostic market is rapidly transitioning to next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, and the market for bioinformatics analysis continues to grow. CheonLab plans to generate revenue linked with the global cloud service ‘EzBioCloud.’

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.