The National Cancer Center (Director: Lee Eun-sook) signed a contract Thursday to transfer a technique of cancer diagnosis using body fluids to biopharmaceutical startup Genopsy (CEO: Cho Young-nam).

Under the contract, the patent on detecting and diagnosing Circulating Tumor DNA and Circulating Tumor Cells by using polymer nanowire, which is the research results of Professor Cho Young-nam from the National Cancer Center, will be transferred to Genopsy.

Genopsy is a startup founded by researchers at National Cancer Center with the support of NEWFLIGHT, a bio-healthcare company builder.

The liquid biopsy methodology will allow doctors to diagnose cancer by detecting cancer genes using only a small amount of fluid such as blood or urine. Usually, diagnosis of cancer is made primarily through imaging equipment such as PETs or CTs.

According to the National Cancer Center, the technique requires one hour for diagnosis, putting it far ahead of other liquid biopsies that can take several days to complete.

"If this breakthrough diagnosis is commercialized, it will help diagnose cancer quickly and accurately contributing to the early detection and improvement of treatment rate,” NCC Director Lee said.

Professor Cho, CEO of Genopsy who also has the patent, said, “We will demonstrate our competitiveness in the global market by expanding the scope of its applications to breast, cervical, prostate, ad bladder cancer, having started commercialization of early detection of lung cancer.”