Duchem Bio’s Prostate Cancer Diagnostic, ProstaSeek, Gains Health Insurance Coverage in Korea
Seoul, November 11, 2025 – Duchem Bio announced today that its radiopharmaceutical, ProstaSeek (ingredient name: 18F-flotupolastat), is now covered by Korean health insurance for PET/CT scans used in diagnosing prostate cancer. The drug targets PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen).
ProstaSeek is currently the only pharmaceutical in Korea authorized for use in both initial diagnosis – assessing metastasis risk – and detecting recurrence of prostate cancer. The insurance benefit applies to patients with a moderate to high risk of metastasis, and those suspected of recurrence based on elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels following initial prostate cancer surgery or radiation therapy.
A PSMA-targeted PET diagnostic product utilizing radioisotopes, ProstaSeek is the exclusive Korean licensee of ‘Forsluma‘, which is FDA-approved. clinical trials demonstrated ProstaSeek increases the detection rate of early prostate cancer recurrence by more than three times compared to conventional MRI/CT scans, while minimizing radiation accumulation in the bladder and enabling clearer detection of small recurrent lesions in the pelvic area.
Research published in the European Journal of Urology indicates PSMA-targeted PET exhibits significantly higher sensitivity and predictive accuracy than CT and MRI in staging and monitoring prostate cancer recurrence, positioning it as a rapidly adopted next-generation standard globally.
“With the submission of ProstaSeek’s reimbursement, it is expected to play an crucial role in not only diagnosing prostate cancer in domestic medical fields, but also suggesting the direction of various treatments in the future, and increasing the efficiency of targeted treatments, including radiation therapy,” stated Kim Sang-woo, CEO of Duchem Bio. He further noted the diagnostic’s importance in prescribing PSMA-targeted treatments like Novartis’ ‘Fluvicto’, potentially improving treatment accessibility.
