$175m investment in Element Biosciences

Galaxy wearables-genomics tie-up eyed

Roh Tae-moon vows continued health investment

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

Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it has taken a stake in US genomics company Element Biosciences as a strategic investor, securing the position of largest shareholder.

The investment is part of Samsung's strategy to establish an early foothold in the precision medicine market, combining its AI and information technology capabilities with Element's genomic analysis technology to create new growth engines.

Samsung Electronics participated in Element's Series E funding round, committing $175 million (approximately 270 billion won) to become the company's top shareholder. Samsung said it will support the existing management team without seeking changes to corporate control.

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

A Samsung executive also sits on Element's board. 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, she held positions at global biotech and pharmaceutical companies including Novartis, Shire, Alcon and Bausch + Lomb.

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

DNA sequencing enables early disease prediction based on inherited genetic traits. A widely cited 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 can also detect trace amounts of cancer-related DNA fragments in blood and stool samples, enabling early diagnosis. Compared with tissue biopsies, sequencing offers advantages in both cost and turnaround time.

Samsung is particularly interested in Element's next-generation sequencing technology and its multiomics capabilities. Multiomics is a next-generation precision medicine analysis approach that integrates data on DNA, RNA, proteins and cellular information to identify the causes and biological mechanisms of disease. It is considered a core technology in precision medicine because it can more accurately pinpoint the root causes of disease and support the development of new drugs.

The AVITI 24 multiomics analyzer. [Element Biosciences]
The AVITI 24 multiomics analyzer. [Element Biosciences]

Element launched its mid-sized DNA sequencing instrument, the AVITI, in 2022 and has since expanded rapidly in global markets. In December 2024, it became the first company in the industry to release a multiomics analyzer, the AVITI 24. The device can track in real time how cancer cells respond to and resist drugs, enabling disease analysis at the cellular level and personalized treatment.

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

Samsung Electronics is exploring ways to use DNA sequencing data obtained through the AVITI platform beyond hospital research, linking it to personalized medical services. Combining daily health data collected by wearables such as the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring with genomic analysis data could enable the creation of 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 the Samsung Health platform.

Element's genomic analysis capabilities are also expected to advance significantly. Samsung plans to integrate its AI algorithms and big data processing capabilities with Element's genomic analysis software to drive innovation in AI-based genomic analysis. The goal is to accelerate the processing 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's expanded investment "reflects deep confidence in our vision, our technology and our team," adding that the company would "continue to deliver innovative technologies that accelerate scientific discovery and improve human health."

Roh Tae-moon, president of Samsung Electronics, said the combination of "Samsung Electronics' 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 would "continue to invest across a broad range of areas — from precision medical devices to digital health — in pursuit of our goal of improving people's health."


jeongwan@heraldcorp.com