The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry has signed a three-year research deal with South Korean firm Dongwoon Anatech to advance its saliva-based platform, which detects cancer and other diseases early.
Dongwoon Anatech will fund the research with up to $787,500 annually. The first phase will focus on optimizing protocols for Dongwoon’s D-SaLife glucose monitoring system using samples from U.S. and South Korean hospitals.
Later stages will develop and validate UCLA’s Electric Field-Induced Release and Measurement I (EFIRM) platform, an automated device to detect salivary biomarkers for cancers like lung, gastric, and oral. Plans also include co-developing EFIRM II, a next-generation compact version designed for point-of-care use.
