Seegene Inc., a leading South Korean company providing a total solution for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular diagnostics, has unveiled its Open Innovation Programme in partnership with Springer Nature, a world-leading provider of services to the research community. The inaugural programme is available globally and is the first step in empowering experts, scientists, and clinicians to develop syndromic quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays across all fields.

The inaugural 'Open Innovation Programme' consists of 15 projects to develop 15 syndromic qPCR diagnostics assay reagents across infectious and vector-borne diseases, as well as in the detection of drug-resistant pathogens. Applications may be submitted by Oct. 31, 2023, and following a comprehensive assessment of applications, awardees will be announced on March 15, 2024.

Along with research grants of up to $600,000 per project, the awardees will be provided with Seegene's syndromic qPCR reagents, extraction reagents, consumables, education on clinical study methods, instruments, and software for automated experimentation at no cost to use and perform pre-clinical and clinical studies for defined target pathogens during the study period.

The 15 projects are in the following categories:

• Urinary Tract Infection
• Dermatophytes
• Sexually Transmitted Infection
• Vaginitis Screening, including Group B streptococcus
• Respiratory Panel
• Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Typing
• Tick-borne Disease
• Tropical Fever Virus
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
• Multidrug-resistant Organisms

Seegene plans to expand partnerships from countries in Europe and Asia this year. By 2028, Seegene set its sights on signing partnership with leading companies in 100 countries.