Seegene said it has signed a technology-sharing agreement with Werfen, the leading diagnostic company in Spain, to begin development discussions on customized products for Spain and Portugal.

Under the accord, Seegene will share its syndromic quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology.

The company's syndromic quantitative PCR technology is the world's only real-time PCR-based simultaneous molecular diagnostic technology to identify the exact causative agent by testing multiple pathogens that cause similar symptoms in one tube.

Seegene will also provide SGDDS (Seegene Digitalized Development System), a standardized diagnostic reagent development automation system that enables inexperienced users to develop reagents into actual products, and production automation technology that can automatically produce reagents applied to one standardized testing equipment system.

Through this partnership, Spain and Portugal will have the infrastructure to develop and produce locally optimized syndromic quantitative PCR products in their countries, enabling them to respond quickly to future pandemics without relying on foreign sources.

The latest agreement is the second in a series of technology-sharing agreements, following an agreement with Hylabs, Israel's top diagnostics company, in March.

According to Seegene, while the collaboration with Hylabs signaled the beginning of the technology-sharing program globally, the agreement with Werfen will provide a bridgehead for the technology-sharing program to enter Europe.

The company stressed that Spain is the fourth-largest market for in vitro diagnostics (IVD) in Europe, and Werfen is expected to play a leading role in acquiring the European In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Regulation (CE-IVDR) license and entering the global market, including Europe."

"We will actively share our technology and know-how, including SGDDS so that any country or company can develop syndromic quantitative PCR reagents," Seegene CEO Chun Jong-yoon said. "The goal is to create a disease-free world by developing products that can diagnose all kinds of diseases."

Werfen COO José Luis Zarroca also said, "We are pleased to strengthen our partnership with Seegene and look forward to developing customized reagents for Spain and Portugal through our technology-sharing initiative."