On April 20, Seegene became a sponsor organization of the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) DNA Test Campaign, for which an agreement was signed on April 20 by Dobong-gu Office and the Women’s Health Foundation. Seegene will provide the funding necessary to offer free HPV DNA testing at cervical cancer diagnostic centers in Dobong-gu as well as at the Dobong-gu Health Center. HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the female population worldwide.

Cervical cancer is feared by many women due to its potential adverse effects on pregnancy and childbirth. However, it is also known to be a cancer with a good prognosis, as early diagnosis and discovery almost guarantee full recovery. The most common method for diagnosing cervical cancer is Pap test, which uses a microscope to look for abnormal cells. However, now that it has been scientifically proven that cervical cancer is caused by repeated infection with HPV, the HPV DNA test method is becoming the new paradigm for the early diagnosis of cervical cancer. Many countries, including the U.S., Australia, the Netherlands, and Spain, have already included HPV DNA testing in their national cancer testing programs as the first stage of testing for cervical cancer.

According to the agreement, female residents of Dobong-gu who have been chosen to receive cervical cancer testing or are eligible for medical care assistance from the National Health Insurance Service, will receive free HPV DNA testing in addition to the regular Pap test. The HPV DNA test provided by Seegene for this campaign is capable of genotyping 28 HPV pathogens (19 high-risk HPVs and 9 low-risk HPVs that do not directly cause cancer but may cause genital warts), determining whether the subject is infected, and co- or multiple infections.

The planning coordinator of Dobong-gu Health Center stated, "We hope that, through this campaign, all women living in Dobong-gu can become happier and healthier in their roles as daughters and mothers and protect the future of their families. By promoting the importance of early diagnosis of cervical cancer and increasing the cancer testing rate, we hope to contribute to increased early diagnoses of cervical cancer.”
Those present at the signing ceremony included Dobong-gu Mayor Dong-Jin Lee, Chairman Jang-Heup Kim of the Women’s Health Foundation, Director Tak Kim of the Women’s Health Foundation, Seegene CEO Jong-Yoon Chun, Seegene Medical Foundation CEO Jong-Kee Chun, and Seegene Medical Foundation Medical Director Kap-No Lee.