Ark teams up with Daewoong to scale AI fundus tech for chronic disease detection

Korean health tech startup Ark is aiming beyond vision care as it scales up its AI-based imaging platform to tackle chronic disease detection on a global stage.

The company said Thursday it has signed a strategic partnership with Daewoong Pharmaceutical to expand its early diagnostic offerings across hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease -- and blinding eye conditions. The move positions Ark to pair medical-grade optics with AI in a bid to build an end-to-end chronic disease ecosystem.

Ark, a subsidiary of Pusan National University Technology Holdings, develops its algorithms using clinical data drawn from a network of national university hospitals. Its core platform includes the in-house developed fundus camera, OPTiNA Genesis, and diagnostic software WISKY, both already marketed in Korea and abroad. The company said its system was designated an innovative medical device by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2023 and is currently undergoing FDA review in the U.S.

Underpinning the platform is a suite of seven domestic patents covering real-time eye tracking, non-mydriatic retinal angiography, and a polarized beam splitter -- foundational hardware that’s also secured protection in the U.S. and Vietnam, with filings completed across China, Indonesia, and Taiwan, according to Ark.

The company added that its AI-driven image analysis engine can extract early signals of systemic diseases, including dementia, kidney disease, and heart failure -- all from retinal images. By integrating diagnostics with Daewoong’s drug pipeline, Ark said it sees the collaboration as a launchpad to create a new tech-enabled care model.