SK Biopharmaceuticals announced on the 17th that it will expand into the EEG (electroencephalogram)-based digital healthcare domain, as it begins joint AI research with Emory University School of Medicine in the United States through its joint venture, Mantis Care, to detect and predict epileptic seizures.

The core of this collaboration is the development of a “universal AI model” that can be applied consistently from hospital-grade multichannel EEG to wearable-based reduced-channel EEG. Whereas existing EEG analysis has been centered on individual models optimized for specific environments, this research differs in that it aims to build a foundation model that delivers consistent performance across diverse settings.

The key focus of this collaboration is universality. Existing AI-based EEG analysis technologies have been optimized for hospital clinical environments, which has limited their applicability to real-world daily monitoring of patients. The transformer-based EEG foundation model that Mantis Care and Emory School of Medicine plan to co-develop is intended to function consistently across various environments, from high-precision clinical systems using 21 electrodes to wearable devices with fewer channels. The plan is to establish a technological basis for continuous epilepsy monitoring in patients’ everyday lives outside the hospital.

The research infrastructure is also noteworthy. Emory School of Medicine’s repository of more than 1 million hours of de-identified EEG data could provide significant competitive strength for AI model training. Based on this dataset, Mantis Care will conduct a two-year research program focused on five pillars: ▲building a large-scale data curation and preprocessing pipeline ▲developing a seizure detection model ▲validating performance across diverse patient groups ▲adapting the model to wearable environments ▲expanding a real-time seizure prediction module.

The clinical implications are considerable. Currently, it is known that seizures in 1 out of 3 epilepsy patients are not adequately controlled with existing medications. Mantis Care believes that if real-time prediction technology can be advanced to a level suitable for practical application, it could fundamentally transform the treatment experience of these patients. Hassan Kotob, CEO of Mantis Care, emphasized, “For 1 out of 3 patients whose seizures are not controlled, this could mean a fundamental change going forward.”

However, as this research is still in the early stages, substantial time will be required before any commercialization. Products developed based on the research findings will need to undergo additional clinical trials as well as regulatory review and approval processes. How the gap between technological sophistication and commercialization is bridged is expected to be a key issue going forward.

SK Biopharmaceuticals views this collaboration as an opportunity to simultaneously enhance its EEG analysis AI technology and wearable device capabilities.

Lee Dong-hoon, CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals, stated, “Beyond innovative new drugs, we are exploring new possibilities in patient treatment through AI-based digital healthcare,” expressing the company’s intention to expand its digital healthcare business centered on Mantis Care.

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