[Power Brain Interview] Simple Blood Test Now Makes Early Dementia Detection Possible

Dementia is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges facing an aging society. According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, one in ten Koreans aged 65 or older was living with dementia as of 2022. In recent years, dementia has also been on the rise among relatively younger people, driven by factors such as stress and irregular lifestyle habits. Once cognitive decline caused by dementia begins, medication can slow its progression, but it cannot reverse the condition. Since there is still no complete cure, early diagnosis and preventive management are more important than anything else — delaying the onset of dementia for as long as possible is currently the best available strategy. Founded in 2023, BREDIS Healthcare (Co-CEOs Hyundoo Hwang and Jina Kim) is a company specializing in early diagnosis and preventive management solutions for dementia, and has commercialized ultrasensitive biomarker analysis technology capable of detecting dementia risk at an early stage through blood testing. Its Digital Immunoassay technology, thousands of times more sensitive than conventional blood testing methods, boasts world-class accuracy. The company currently provides analysis services to leading university hospitals and research institutions in Korea and abroad. It has also recently launched ChitaCare, a lifelog-based digital healthcare platform built on wearable devices such as its smart ring. We sat down with CEO Hyundoo Hwang to learn more about what changes blood- and lifelog-based dementia risk analysis services might bring to our lives. **Q. You developed technology to diagnose and predict Alzheimer's disease through blood tests. How did this technology come about?** BREDIS Healthcare began with a dream of innovating early diagnosis and prevention for cognitive decline linked to neurodegenerative brain diseases. Conventional diagnostic methods for Alzheimer's disease mostly required MRI or PET scans, which are costly, or spinal fluid collection, which places a significant burden on patients. These limitations made regular checkups and early detection difficult. In fact, there have been repeated attempts to diagnose Alzheimer's disease through blood tests. Several companies developed such technologies and even sold products, but accurate testing proved elusive in practice. These repeated failures led to a widespread belief that diagnosing Alzheimer's disease or the resulting cognitive impairment through blood tests was simply not possible. However, I saw new possibilities in digital immunoassay technology. The biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease detectable in blood exist in extremely trace amounts, making them difficult to detect with conventional technology. But I believed that digital immunoassay technology could make ultrasensitive detection possible. As I watched the rapid rise in neurodegenerative disease diagnoses in an aging society, I wanted to solve this social problem. At the same time, as an engineer, developing analytical technology capable of detecting trace amounts of substances was itself an exciting challenge. This combination — a desire to solve a societal problem and a passion as an engineer — is how BREDIS Healthcare came to be. Opening a path to analyzing the risk of cognitive decline linked to neurodegenerative brain disease through a simple blood test, so that more people could receive regular checkups without a heavy burden, was the innovation we dreamed of — and it has now become reality. **Q. The phrase "Making the age of 100 a blessing for everyone" stood out on your company's website.** I began focusing on neurodegenerative brain disease and cognitive decline after reflecting deeply on what it truly means to live to 100. I came to believe that simply living longer isn't what matters — living longer while staying healthy is the true meaning of the age of 100. Dementia, in particular, is a disease many people fear more and more as they age. It's not just about declining physical function — it threatens quality of life and human dignity itself. What's more, dementia profoundly affects not only the patient but the lives of their family members as well. Watching the rapid increase in dementia patients in our society, I came to see it not as an individual or family issue, but as a societal challenge. I believed that for the age of 100 to truly be a blessing, we would need to overcome the great obstacle that is dementia. That's why we focused on the early detection and management of neurodegenerative brain disease and the resulting cognitive decline. If everyone could receive simple, regular checkups, we could catch the risk of neurodegenerative disease and cognitive decline early and respond appropriately. Through this, I hope everyone entering the age of 100 can live out their lives with dignity, to the very end. *BREDIS Healthcare began with a dementia risk analysis service and has since launched ChitaCare, a healthcare platform for preventing and managing dementia.* **Q. A great deal of research on dementia is underway, but a complete cure has yet to emerge — which makes early diagnosis all the more important. How does BREDIS Healthcare's ultrasensitive biomarker detection technology (Digital ELISA) differ from conventional tests?** Since there is still no complete cure for Alzheimer's disease, early diagnosis is more important than anything else — and there has recently been an important breakthrough in this field. The U.S. National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association recently designated a substance called "p-tau217" as a suitable blood biomarker for diagnosing early-stage Alzheimer's disease. This means a simple blood test may now be able to identify the pathological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease — suggesting that non-invasive, blood-based early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease could become a reality in the future. However, p-tau217 exists in the blood in only extremely trace amounts, making it very difficult to measure accurately. Our digital immunoassay technology solves precisely this problem. Its greatest strength is that it offers thousands of times the sensitivity of conventional testing methods — in other words, it can accurately detect even extremely small quantities of a substance. It also makes it possible to replace tests that previously required spinal fluid collection with a simple blood test. We provide clinical trial sample analysis (GCLP) services based on digital immunoassay, and — wanting as many people as possible to benefit from this technology — we are also developing an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical device. By incorporating AI technology, we have also made it possible to quantitatively assess the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. Above all, this technology is not limited to Alzheimer's disease alone. We are currently conducting international joint research to identify biomarkers for other neurodegenerative brain diseases, including Parkinson's disease. Ultrasensitive biomarker analysis technologies like digital immunoassay open up the possibility of discovering new biomarkers or drug targets that were previously impossible to measure — which will enable earlier diagnosis and prevention of a wider range of brain diseases. Ultimately, what we do is find invisible, minute signals to make early warning of disease possible. Through this, we hope to bring new hope to more patients and their families. **Q. What changes might a blood test-based dementia risk analysis service bring about? How is BREDIS Healthcare's dementia risk analysis technology actually being used in clinical practice today?** Blood-based cognitive decline risk analysis services are likely to bring about two major changes. The first is that early detection becomes possible. While dementia cannot currently be completely cured, catching it early makes a significant difference. Through proper diet management, exercise, sleep management, and medication, we can slow the progression of the disease — effectively giving patients and their families more time and a better quality of life. The second is that regular monitoring becomes possible. Regular checkups were previously difficult due to the high cost of tests like MRI or PET scans. But blood tests can be taken regularly without a heavy burden — much like regularly checking blood pressure or blood sugar, people will be able to regularly check their risk of neurodegenerative disease and cognitive decline and build a prevention strategy accordingly. We are currently working with several major hospitals and research institutions to advance the clinical application of this technology. For these tests to be used at local medical institutions or health checkup centers, additional clinical research and regulatory approval will be needed. Once this technology is introduced into clinical practice, we expect the paradigm of dementia diagnosis and management to shift significantly — from the perception that "by the time dementia is discovered, it's already too late" to the understanding that dementia is "a disease that can be detected early and managed." **Q. In November of last year, you signed an MOU with the Korea Brain Trainer Association. You've also been actively partnering with various companies and institutions. How might a blood test-based dementia risk analysis service be applied in everyday life?** Simply diagnosing the risk of neurodegenerative brain disease and cognitive decline is not enough. We aim to build a system that connects early detection, prevention, and management all together. First, we analyze the risk of neurodegenerative brain disease and cognitive decline using blood tests combined with biosignals collected in daily life, such as heart rate and sleep patterns. Based on these results, we then offer personalized health management recommendations. In particular, we analyze data that people generate in daily life through wearable devices such as smartwatches and smart rings. Large-scale cohort studies conducted in Sweden and Finland have shown that lifestyle management — including exercise, diet, social activity, and sleep — has a significant effect on improving cognitive function and preventing dementia. Based on large-scale community data, we are developing an AI-based predictive model that collects data such as sleep patterns, heart rate variability, and physical activity levels through smartwatches and smart rings, and uses this data to detect early signs of cognitive decline. Blood testing technology goes beyond simply screening for high-risk groups for cognitive decline — it also helps identify the underlying causes of cognitive decline. Since dementia symptoms and progression vary from person to person, comprehensive analysis allows us to provide services tailored to each individual. At this stage, experts such as brain trainers can help manage diet, exercise, and sleep tailored to each individual, helping delay the onset of dementia. Going forward, we hope to collaborate with local senior welfare facilities, dementia safety centers, and organizations such as the Korea Brain Trainer Association to provide brain health methods that anyone can easily manage. We don't want people to simply discover dementia and fear it — we want to build a system that predicts and manages it. Through this, we hope everyone living in the age of 100 can lead healthier, happier lives. **Q. I understand you've recently been collaborating with several countries, including Singapore, the United States, Canada, and Mexico. What are your plans for global expansion, and what is BREDIS Healthcare's vision going forward?** Since neurodegenerative brain disease and cognitive decline are subjects of global interest, we aimed for global market entry from the very beginning of our development. We are currently collaborating with several countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, and the United States, and achieving distinct results in each region. In Singapore, we are conducting research on biomarkers for neurodegenerative brain disease in Asian populations in collaboration with major universities and research institutions, including the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, and the National Neuroscience Institute. Notably, despite the presence of numerous local analysis institutions overseas, our world-class analytical reliability has led overseas institutions to commission us for digital immunoassay-based clinical trial sample analysis. For our in vitro diagnostic medical device, we are currently pursuing domestic clinical trials and regulatory approval, while also preparing for FDA approval in the United States and HSA approval in Singapore. In Singapore in particular, we plan to first obtain approval as a Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) and launch our service under that framework. We are also currently conducting international joint research to identify biomarkers for various neurodegenerative brain diseases, including Parkinson's disease. Ultimately, our goal is to build a global platform that provides customized solutions based on each country's medical environment and patient data. Through this, we hope to create a world where better disease diagnosis and management are possible anywhere. **Q. You were part of the first graduating class of KAIST's Department of Bio and Brain Engineering. What drew you to the field of brain research?** KAIST's Department of Bio and Brain Engineering was originally the Department of BioSystems. It was established in 2002, funded by a personal donation of KRW 30 billion from the late Moon-sool Chung, former chairman of Miraeindustry, with the goal of developing technologies that could sustain the nation's future and nurturing the talent to build them. What made this department special was that it pioneered, for the first time in Korea, a new academic field integrating biology, information technology, electronics, and nanotechnology. During my undergraduate and graduate studies there, I came to genuinely enjoy seeking out and taking on work that the world truly needed, but that others either weren't doing or couldn't bring themselves to do. Compared to other fields of biology, the brain remains largely uncharted territory. Researching this field requires continuously developing new technologies. And I believe that if we can use this technology to detect and prevent diseases like dementia at an early stage, more people will be able to live healthy lives into the age of 100.