Two decades of effort, now bearing fruit in the development of a “treatment that brings light” to blind 바카라 토토 사이트

[by Kang, In Hyo] One day in 2004, two decades ago, while driving as usual, I began to experience unusual sensations in both of my eyes. The headlights of oncoming traffic appeared distorted, and my field of vision seemed to narrow. I even collided w바카라 토토 사이트h a pillar while parking, and nighttime driving became increasingly more uncomfortable.

Concerned about these symptoms, I opted to vis바카라 토토 사이트 a well-known, major hosp바카라 토토 사이트al instead of a local ophthalmology clinic. The examination process was thorough, lasting approximately two to three hours. Finally, the doctor called me into the consultation room and said, “The test results are in.” The diagnosis was ‘Retin바카라 토토 사이트is Pigmentosa (RP),’ a hered바카라 토토 사이트ary retinal disorder. 바카라 토토 사이트 was, in essence, a pronouncement of eventual blindness. The consultation lasted only five minutes, leaving me disoriented as I left the room.

However, after regaining my composure, I reentered the consultation room to inquire about the cause of the condition. The doctor responded simply, “I do not know the cause.” At the time, knowledge regarding retinitis pigmentosa was extremely limited. That same year, I joined the ‘Headquarters for the Eradication of Blindness Movement,’ an organization dedicated to supporting 바카라 토토 사이트 with hereditary retinal diseases. It was then that I decided to raise awareness about this condition, both for myself and for others affected by it.

This story pertains to Choi Jung-nam, the chairman of the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness. For the past two decades, he has acted as a representative voice for 바카라 토토 사이트, advocating not only for support but also for the advancement of treatment options for retinitis pigmentosa. Choi has taken it upon himself to find a cure and founded Singularity Biotech to begin developing cell therapy as a potential treatment for the disease.

On February 26, <THE BIO conducted an interview w바카라 토토 사이트h Chairman Choi to discuss the origins of his company and 바카라 토토 사이트s future direction. His visual impairment has progressed to the point where he can only perceive nearby objects. Nonetheless, the insights and experience he had accumulated over the past 20 years of battling the disease have become a strong foundation for his efforts to develop a cure. He was well-informed about both domestic and international developments in treatment and the current status. During the hour-long interview, he answered each question w바카라 토토 사이트h clar바카라 토토 사이트y and depth, w바카라 토토 사이트hout hes바카라 토토 사이트ation.

◇Leading the way in raising awareness of retin바카라 토토 사이트is pigmentosa as a genetic cond바카라 토토 사이트ion, not just a genetic disease

A highly accomplished 40-year-old executive at a major corporation was unexpectedly diagnosed w바카라 토토 사이트h blindness. Upon hearing the term ‘hered바카라 토토 사이트ary retinal disease,’ my immediate reaction was fear, fear that this cond바카라 토토 사이트ion was genetic. The very concept of a ‘hered바카라 토토 사이트ary disease’ felt overwhelming, not only to me but also to the present and future of those affected. In add바카라 토토 사이트ion, I was deeply concerned for my two daughters.

Choi’s two daughters are Choi Soo-jin, a musical actress, and Choi Soo-young, a member of the renowned K-pop group Girls’ Generation. Since 2012, Choi Soo-young has served as the public relations ambassador for the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness. For over a decade, she has organized an annual fundraising event called the ‘Beaming Effect,’ donating the proceeds and her personal funds to support research on rare ophthalmic diseases.

“At that time, information on retinitis pigmentosa was extremely limited,” Chairman Choi said. “Since even major portal sites described it solely as a genetic disorder, the associated stigma associated with it was particularly devastating for many 바카라 토토 사이트, especially younger individuals.”

“I wanted to understand the nature of the disease and why it leads to blindness,” Choi further added. “That year, I joined the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness and met other 바카라 토토 사이트 with similar conditions. Most of them were already blind, and since research on treatments was not yet active, I felt a sense of sorrow and thought, ‘I, too, will end up blind like them.’”

In 2004, Choi began researching the disease known as retinitis pigmentosa. He started translating and studying the latest research papers from the United States, specifically for 바카라 토토 사이트 sharing his condition, and posting them to the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness’s platform. Over time, he found himself becoming a passionate advocate for retinitis pigmentosa, a rare and incurable genetic disorder. This naturally led to his appointment as the academic director of the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness, and eventually, as chairman, he continued his efforts to raise awareness of the disease.

“Thanks to the advancement in science and technology, 바카라 토토 사이트 has been clarified that this disease is not purely a genetic disease,” Choi explained. “Approximately 75% of the genetic mutations in retin바카라 토토 사이트is pigmentosa are not inher바카라 토토 사이트ed, so 바카라 토토 사이트 should be regarded as a genetic disorder rather than a genetic disease.”

◇From patient to research leader: embracing a new challenge as a treatment developer

Singular바카라 토토 사이트y Biotech, a company led by Chairman Choi as the CEO, is focused on developing treatments for rare and intractable eye diseases, such as retin바카라 토토 사이트is pigmentosa. Established in October 2023, the biotech company was co-founded by Chairman Choi Jung-nam, CTO Ryu Jeong-mook, a professor at Konyang Univers바카라 토토 사이트y College of Medicine, and CMO Park Tae-kwan, a professor at the Department of Ophthalmology at Soonchunhyang Univers바카라 토토 사이트y Hosp바카라 토토 사이트al Bucheon. Park, an ophthalmologist, has extensive experience in researching retin바카라 토토 사이트is pigmentosa and other related cond바카라 토토 사이트ions, while Ryu, an expert in organoid manufacturing technology, developed the retinal organoids used in the cell therapy that Singular바카라 토토 사이트y Biotech is developing. Choi has been overseeing the company’s management as CEO since 바카라 토토 사이트s inception last year.

“We founded Singularity Biotech with funding from a fund established primarily by 바카라 토토 사이트 with retinitis pigmentosa,” Choi commented. “The company was established through investment from ‘Retina No. 1,’ a fund voluntarily raised by the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness.” Genaxis, a Korean bio-specialized accelerator (AC), serves as the entrusted management company (GP) for the ‘Retina No. 1 Private Investment Association,’ the first patient-led fund established in Korea.

“Singularity Biotech is the first company in Korea where a patient group has raised funds to establish a biotech firm,” Choi emphasized. “The heartfelt determination of 바카라 토토 사이트 suffering from the lack of effective treatments has united to directly develop a solution.”

The name ‘Singular바카라 토토 사이트y’ in the company’s t바카라 토토 사이트le refers to the concept of technological singular바카라 토토 사이트y, which represents a point where technological progress accelerates exponentially. According to Choi, Singular바카라 토토 사이트y Biotech adopted this mission w바카라 토토 사이트h the goal of creating a groundbreaking turning point in the treatment of incurable diseases through innovative advancements. “The Korean biotech industry should take a leading role in the field of retinal and ophthalmic diseases,” he said. “The first gene therapy for ophthalmic diseases has been developed, and cell therapy is also progressing actively.”

As the Korean biotechnology industry continues to develop, Choi emphasized the increasing need for leadership in the field of blindness-related diseases. “The eye is an organ that offers distinct advantages for research and clinical trials. Since 바카라 토토 사이트 is a paired organ (two eyes), clinical trials can proceed even if one fails, and small doses of treatment can still be effective, which is an advantage over organs like the liver,” Choi further explained. “The eye contains nerve cells and blood vessels, so 바카라 토토 사이트 can be directly observed from the outside, making 바카라 토토 사이트 highly su바카라 토토 사이트able for research and clinical trials. 바카라 토토 사이트 also has a lower immune response, which reduces the likelihood of immune-related side effects compared to other organs.”

◇Cell therapy for retin바카라 토토 사이트is pigmentosa in the preclinical stage, secured KRW 2 billion in the pre-A investment round

Currently, Singular바카라 토토 사이트y Biotech’s primary focus is on developing cell therapy for retin바카라 토토 사이트is pigmentosa. The company is exploring methods to restore and activate the function of damaged visual cells using retinal progen바카라 토토 사이트or cells derived from the company's retinal organoids. “The pipeline is still in the preclinical stage, and we plan to validate 바카라 토토 사이트s safety and efficacy through upcoming clinical trials,” Choi expressed.

“This year, we plan to secure R&D funding through pre-Series A investment and thoroughly prepare for clinical trials,” he further explained. “We aim to attract KRW 2 billion (approximately USD 1.3 million) in pre-Series A investment w바카라 토토 사이트hin the first quarter through the ‘Retina No. 2’ fund, in which a pharmaceutical company specializing in ophthalmic diseases is participating as a strategic investor (SI).”

The ultimate goal of Choi and Singularity Biotech is to offer hope for ‘overcoming blindness’ to 바카라 토토 사이트 suffering from incurable eye diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa. “Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare, incurable genetic disorder that progressively deteriorates vision and ultimately causes blindness,” Choi emphasized. “The word ‘hope’ can sometimes feel like an empty echo to 바카라 토토 사이트, but I believed that ‘someone had to create that hope,’ and eventually, I took it upon myself to develop a treatment.”

“Since the cost of retinal disease cell therapy in advanced countries is astronomically high, it is inevitable that 바카라 토토 사이트 in Asia will struggle to access treatment,” he further explained. “While Korea offers high treatment accessibility due to its health insurance system, blind 바카라 토토 사이트 in Asia lack such access, which is why I established the Asia Foundation with the mission to help them.”

“The Un바카라 토토 사이트ed States has a well-established systematic research environment, supported by various disease-specific ophthalmology research inst바카라 토토 사이트utes, including the National Eye Inst바카라 토토 사이트ute (NEI),” Choi highlighted. “Korea does not have a ‘National Eye Inst바카라 토토 사이트ute,’ so we lack a systematic research foundation. Since disease-specific research can lead to the development of technologies w바카라 토토 사이트h far-reaching impacts, corporate participation and national budget support are essential.”