Pharmicell Secures Patent for Low-Cost, Large-Scale dNTP Production Technology

On September 2, Pharmicell announced that it has developed a chemical synthesis technology capable of producing dNTP (deoxynucleoside triphosphate), a key raw material for domestic molecular diagnostics and next-generation sequencing (NGS), in large quantities at low cost. The company also stated that it has obtained a patent for this technology.

dNTP is an essential reagent required for gene amplification (PCR) and genome analysis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, global demand surged, but a handful of overseas companies dominated the market, resulting in supply shortages and sharp price increases. As a result, the need to localize the production of these raw materials has been consistently raised.

The conventional enzymatic synthesis method offers high reaction efficiency but is limited by its high production costs. While chemical synthesis allows for low-cost, large-scale production, there have been no commercially available products based on this method.

Pharmicell began related research in 2020 by participating in the government-wide medical device R&D project at the request of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety during the early stages of COVID-19. In 2022, the company completed a chemical synthesis method capable of mass production. The recent patent acquisition is based on this technology.

A Pharmicell representative stated, "This patent goes beyond simply securing a manufacturing technology; it holds significant meaning for stabilizing the supply chain at a national level and strengthening the competitiveness of the bio industry." He added, "We are establishing a foundation to reliably supply raw materials to clinical and research settings, and, in preparation for the next pandemic, we are preparing strategic stockpiles at the Ulsan Plant No. 3 site."

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