Macrogen said Tuesday its diagnostic technology based on Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) has proved its high accuracy in predicting Parkinson’s disease.

The company, specializing in precision medicine, analyzed the blood samples of people with Parkinson’s disease in collaboration with a research team led by Professor Lee Jong-sik of the Asan Medical Center. Together, they developed a technology that predicts the possibility of Parkinson's occurrence. 

Macrogen will commercialize the technology on Direct to Consumer (DTC) gene diagnostic service, utilizing early diagnosis of Parkinson’s. “Our new tech has higher accuracy than the existing ones,” the bio company said. 

The exact cause for Parkinson’s disease is not found yet. However, experts recognize various factors that cause it, including environmental and hereditary factors and aging. As a certain gene mutation is not the cause of Parkinson’s disease, even high-risk gene mutations found in Parkinson’s disease patients cannot exactly predict the disease with accuracy, according to the company. 

Recently, the PRS method is drawing attention as a method that raises the prediction of diseases caused by complex factors. One genetic mutation has a low level of involvement in complex diseases. By making the most of the gene that most people have, researchers can make accurate disease prediction because its comparative analysis is easier despite its low involvement in the disease, according to Macrogen.

“The previous test used for predicting Parkinson’s disease in Korea was based on three to five gene mutations. However, PRS is far more accurate because it analyzes more than 40 gene mutations,” said Shin Jong-yun, head of the company’s technology innovation division.