GYEONGGI-DO

A Brighter World for Everyone, OCT Anywhere

 

▲ Jung-ho Chung / CEO

 

Q. Please introduce us to PHILOPHOS.

 

      A brighter world for everyone, “OCT anywhere”

 

A. Founded in 2018, PHILOPHOS provides an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) system. The name “PHILOPHOS” comes from the Greek words that mean “love” and “light,” and as the name implies, we aim to commercialize various innovative optical technologies. We were certified as a venture company in August 2018, and in June 2022, we were selected as one of the 200 baby unicorn companies by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. Our technologies are being recognized by many, as we received investments from multiple venture capitals. As the slogan “OCT anywhere” connotes, we will strive to make sure that everyone on earth can see the world clearly. With the OCT system, PHILOPHOS will grow to become a global company.

 

 

Q. Tell us briefly about “Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).” 

 

      Trinity of small design, portability, and price competitiveness

 

A. OCT is a type of technology that can show cross-section images of biological tissues. It is also known as the optical version of ultrasound. As OCT uses infrared light, its advantage is that it has a much higher resolution than ultrasound. As we have the technique to manufacture the core parts of the OCT system, including the spectroscope and the light source driver, we were able to develop our own form factor and achieve price competitiveness. KUOS-O100 is the pinnacle of our technology, and is generally used to diagnose retina diseases. It is small in size with a weight of less than 5kg, making it very portable as well as price-competitive. KUOS-O100 has both a monitor and PC function. Therefore, all you need to do is plug and play; simply power on, no installation required. We expect that KUOS-O100 will be highly well received in developing countries with a lack of accessibility to healthcare institutions.

 

▲KUOS-O100

 

 

Q. What are your future plans and blueprint after entering the global market?

 

     Launch domestic sales, and aim to become a global company by entering the U.S. market next year

 

A. KUOS-O100 received the silver award in the Industrial and Life Science Design-Medical/Scientific Machinery category at the 2022 International Design Awards. As we have recently and successfully completed Series A financing, we expect that we will be able to finalize tests and verifications for the OCT products, FDA approvals, and set up mass manufacturing facilities to enter the foreign market. We aim to start with domestic sales, and receive U.S. FDA approvals by the end of this year. We at PHILOPHOS are certain that our technology and innovativeness will be recognized worldwide, including in developing countries, which will lead to great results including sales. We hope you will look forward to our great journey.