Driven by the increased incidence of cancer and greater disease awareness, South Korea’s next generation sequencing (NGS) tests market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4% between 2022 and 2030, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s report, “Next Generation Sequencing Market Size (Value, Volume, ASP) by Segments, Share, Trend and SWOT Analysis, Regulatory and Reimbursement Landscape, Procedures, and Forecast, 2015-2030,” reveals that growing investment in training, rising awareness to implement broader screening strategies, and research to explore the potential health and economic benefits of cancer mutational disease screening will further drive the NGS market.

There is also a growing interest in whole generation sequencing (WGS), a type of NGS technique that captures an almost complete overview of the genomic characteristics and detects all types of genomic mutations of a tumor in a single test. Many of these gene mutations are biomarkers for accurate screening and treatment but are difficult to detect with standard medical tests.

Shachee Singh, Analyst on the Medical Devices team at GlobalData, comments: “Genome Insight, a WGS analysis and interpretation company, in collaboration with Ajou University Medical Center, has recently launched a pilot program to make WGS available for the first time in South Korea as routine cancer care to patients at various stages of their treatment course if physicians identify potential health benefits for those patients.”

According to Genome Insight, over 100 patients will be targeted initially in the program this year and the results will be used to support more patients in the future by providing accurate diagnoses and personalized treatments for cancer and rare diseases.

Singh concludes: “Although WGS is well established as a potential cancer diagnostic test in research studies, its application in routine settings will only be possible provided current limitations such as high costs and technical challenges are addressed.”