Element Biosciences

$175 million stake acquired as strategic investor

DNA sequencing specialist founded in 2017

First invested in Series D round in July 2024

Sleep and fitness data could be combined with genomic analysis

Customized healthcare integration with Galaxy devices in focus

Roh Tae-moon: 'Will continue investment in medical devices, digital health'

The headquarters of Element Biosciences in San Diego, California [Element Biosciences website]
The headquarters of Element Biosciences in San Diego, California [Element Biosciences website]

Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it has become the largest shareholder of US genomics equipment company Element Biosciences after joining the firm's latest funding round as a strategic investor.

Through the investment, Samsung Electronics aims to secure an early position in the precision medicine market by combining its AI and information technology capabilities with Element's genomic analysis technology to find new growth engines.

'Multi-omics' technology for identifying root causes of disease draws attention

Samsung Electronics participated in Element's Series E funding round, investing $175 million (about 270 billion won) to become the company's single largest shareholder. Samsung said it will support the existing management team without seeking a change of control.

This is not Samsung Electronics' first investment in Element. In July 2024, Samsung joined as a shareholder in Element's Series D round, which raised $277 million.

A Samsung executive also sits on Element's board of directors. Kim Sun-young, executive vice president leading the biotech and healthcare research division at Samsung Global Research, serves as a board member. Before joining Samsung Global Research in 2021, Kim held positions at global biotech companies including Novartis, Shire, Alcon and Bausch + Lomb.

Founded in San Diego in 2017, Element has developed DNA sequencing technology that achieves an accuracy rate of 99.99% — among the highest in the industry — while dramatically lowering the cost of analysis. DNA sequencing reads the sequence of DNA base pairs, the blueprint of living organisms, to identify genetic variations and characteristics.

DNA sequencing can predict diseases in advance based on inherited genetic traits. A widely known example is Angelina Jolie's 2013 decision to undergo preventive surgery after genetic testing revealed she carried genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer. The technology is particularly useful for detecting trace amounts of cancer-related DNA fragments in blood or stool samples, enabling early diagnosis. Sequencing also offers advantages over tissue biopsies in terms of cost and time.

Samsung Electronics is particularly focused on Element's next-generation DNA sequencing technology and its multi-omics capabilities. Multi-omics is a next-generation precision medicine analysis technology that integrates data on DNA, RNA, proteins and cells to identify the causes of disease and the underlying biological mechanisms. It is considered a core technology in next-generation precision medicine because it can more accurately pinpoint the root causes of disease and support the development of new treatments.

Synergies in precision medicine expected; smartphone and wearable ecosystem also in play

Element has rapidly expanded its global footprint since launching its mid-sized DNA sequencing instrument AVITI in 2022. In December 2024, it became the first company in the industry to release a multi-omics analysis device, the AVITI 24. Because the AVITI 24 can track in real time how cancer cells respond to and resist drugs, it enables disease analysis at the cellular level and opens the door to personalized treatment.

Element is also preparing to launch VITARI, an analysis instrument that offers five times the throughput of existing products at less than half the cost, as well as AVITI Dx, designed for use in hospital laboratories for applications such as personalized anticancer drug prescriptions.

The AVITI 24 multi-omics analysis device [Element Biosciences]
The AVITI 24 multi-omics analysis device [Element Biosciences]

Samsung Electronics is exploring ways to link DNA sequencing data obtained through Element's AVITI platform to personalized medical services beyond hospital research use. Combining everyday data collected by wearables such as the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring with genomic analysis data could enable the company to build a hyper-personalized healthcare ecosystem.

Industry observers expect Samsung Electronics to be among the first to commercialize DNA-based personalized health management and disease prediction services in a mobile environment through its Samsung Health platform.

Element's genomic analysis capabilities are also expected to advance. Samsung Electronics plans to pursue AI-driven genomic analysis innovation by integrating its AI algorithms and big data processing capabilities with Element's gene analysis software — a combination that could accelerate the analysis of complex, large-scale genomic datasets to near real-time speeds and improve the accuracy of early disease detection.

Molly He, CEO of Element Biosciences, said Samsung Electronics' expanded investment "reflects deep trust in our vision, our technology and our team," adding that the company would "continue to deliver innovative technologies that accelerate scientific discovery and advance human health."

Roh Tae-moon, president of Samsung Electronics, said the combination of Samsung's expertise in AI, medical devices and digital health with Element's innovative genomic analysis technology "will create synergies for the future of personalized medicine." He added that Samsung Electronics "will continue to invest broadly — from precision medical devices to digital health — in pursuit of our goal of improving people's health."


jeongwan@heraldcorp.com