Leobio

Leobio, established in June 2017, is a medical diagnostics company specializing in the point-of-care testing (POCT) market. The company was co-founded by CEO Park Kyung-won and Research Director Moon Chang-sang. Park brings a strong background in business management, strategy, and planning from his time at an environmental biotechnology firm, which complements Moon's two decades of technical expertise in organic synthesis at a major medical device company. Their collaboration was born from a shared vision to address the growing need for accessible chronic disease monitoring, leading to the company's inception even before its official establishment, having already won awards at startup competitions in 2015.

The company's core business revolves around the research, development, and manufacturing of in-vitro diagnostic devices and reagents. Leobio's flagship product is the 'Apollon' system, a fully-automated device for measuring glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). This POCT system is designed to monitor long-term glucose levels in diabetic patients. A key feature of the Apollon is its use of reagents that can be stored at room temperature, simplifying logistics and storage for healthcare providers. The system delivers accurate results (using a CMOS measurement method) from a small blood sample in a short amount of time, streamlining the diagnostic process for clinicians and patients. The device features a 7-inch LCD for displaying and storing data.

Leobio's business model is centered on selling these diagnostic systems and the accompanying reagents to small and medium-sized hospitals, local clinics, and public health centers. Beyond its domestic market in South Korea, the company has strategic plans to enter international markets, particularly targeting China and Southeast Asia, regions with rapidly growing diabetic populations. This expansion is supported by strategic investments, including one from Boditech Med, a global in-vitro diagnostics company, aimed at leveraging their distribution network. In addition to its product-based revenue, Leobio also generates income through contract research services, offering its research and development capabilities to other entities in the biotechnology sector.

Keywords: point-of-care testing, HbA1c analyzer, diabetes diagnostics, in-vitro diagnostics, medical devices, glycated hemoglobin, chronic disease monitoring, room temperature reagents, diagnostic reagents, contract research organization, POCT, medical biotechnology, clinical diagnostics, glucose monitoring, South Korean biotech, Apollon system, CMOS measurement, diagnostic systems, mobile healthcare, telemedicine support