The Korean startup ProvaLabs, specializing in the development of sensors for biometric model validation, has secured seed funding from Seoul Techno Holdings. This investment was made through the ‘SNU STH Gwanak S-Valley Venture Investment Fund’, a corporate support fund with direct contributions from the Gwanak Gu.

Traditionally, the preclinical process for evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of tens of thousands of anticancer drug candidates has been long and costly, leading to a final clinical success rate of merely 1-3%. ProvaLabs is revolutionizing the drug development process by advancing API validation technology that is effective and cost-efficient, improving equipment for drug efficacy and toxicity evaluations in the preclinical phase. Their biometric chips combine 3D cell culture technology with microfluidics to enhance complexity, enabling accurate simulation of the in-body environment for 3D tissue structure imitation and phenotypic research.

Seungjae Ha, CEO of ProvaLabs, possesses specialized expertise in developing microfluidic chips with integrated electrical measurement devices. The company is built around leading researchers in the nano biotechnology and electrical & electronics fields. ProvaLabs is set to innovate in the field of molecular biology-based diagnostics, focusing on precision diagnostics grounded in biometric model solutions and therapeutic areas at the molecular/genetic level, including CRISPR gene editing and mRNA technologies.

CEO Seungjae Ha of ProvaLabs emphasized, “Quality control technology for biometric models is crucial in the future of drug development. Perfectly replicating living organisms is virtually impossible, making it essential to have QC technology that can select suitable models for use. ProvaLabs aims to facilitate efficient drug development by providing sensor solutions for the evaluation of biometric models.”