"LGU+ Signs MOU with Theragen Bio to Provide Early Health Management Tips Including Hair Loss"

Understanding Health Status Such as Hair Loss and Obesity Through Genomic and Gut Microbiome Testing with Customized Solutions
Certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Offering the Most Extensive 70-Item Tests in Korea... Improved Accessibility to Previously Unfamiliar and Complex Services

(From left) Hwang Tae-soon, CEO of Theragen Bio, and Park Jong-wook, CSO (Executive Vice President) of LG Uplus

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] A service that allows customers to directly check their health status, including hair loss, obesity, nutrient management, exercise characteristics, sleep, and eating habits, and receive customized health care is being launched.

LG Uplus announced on the 12th that it has decided to collaborate with Theragen Bio to discover digital healthcare business opportunities utilizing specialized services such as genomic testing and gut microbiome testing.

Theragen Bio is a bio-specialized company that conducts cancer vaccine development, bioinformatics data platform, and AI-based new drug development support based on genomic analysis. Through a business agreement (MOU) with Theragen Bio, LG Uplus plans to develop new services using product and marketing capabilities and cooperate to consolidate healthcare data to enhance customized solutions and service matching.

The two companies will cooperate not only in genomic testing through medical institutions but also in discovering differentiated new health management services with price competitiveness to make DTC (Direct to Consumer) genomic testing services in the wellness field, which is unfamiliar to the general public, easily and conveniently accessible.

DTC genomic testing service is a method where consumers send specimens directly to testing institutions, not medical institutions, to request genetic testing. Customers purchase test kits online, collect oral epithelial cells themselves, and send them to the testing institution, receiving results after two weeks. Theragen Bio’s DTC genomic test proved its competitiveness by receiving certification for the largest number of 70 items in Korea in last year’s 'DTC Certification Pilot Project' led by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Theragen Bio offers a comprehensive personal genomic analysis service consisting of six themes and 77 items, including nutrient management, health care, skin and hair care, recommending comprehensive lifestyle guides, foods, exercise, and functional ingredients. In particular, it quantifies and informs about appearance-related symptoms such as male pattern and alopecia areata hair loss, which affect one in five Koreans, as well as the weight loss effects related to abdominal obesity and exercise.

Additionally, gut microbiome testing checks the balance ratio and community ratio of beneficial and harmful bacteria, the presence of 19 major probiotics, and 5 pathogens. Through this, it diagnoses the potential for health issues such as ▲inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome for gut health ▲constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal bloating for bowel health ▲sleep and alcohol metabolism for lifestyle health ▲atherosclerosis and hypertension for cardiovascular health ▲diabetes, fatty liver, and obesity for metabolic health diseases, providing a comprehensive solution to maintain health.

Jiyoon Son, Head of New Business Development at LG Uplus, said, "We will develop services that allow customers to easily and conveniently access genomic and gut microbiome testing services, which have been considered difficult and unfamiliar. Through collaboration with Theragen Bio, we will pioneer the preventive health management market based on health data."

Taesoon Hwang, CEO of Theragen Bio, said, "This agreement will be an opportunity to accelerate the K-bio era centered on technological convergence. We will do our best to cooperate so that digital healthcare services utilizing bio big data can be established with a consumer-centered approach through various channels owned by LG Uplus."

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