[Yu Jin-hee, Edaily Reporter] SEOUL, South Korea- Diagnostic device company Protias (303360) is opening the era of personalized immune management. Building on its best-in-class allergy diagnostic system and the world’s first capacitance-based antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) device, the company is now introducing the world’s first noninvasive immune diagnostic product, aiming to reshape market paradigms and secure new growth momentum.

(Source: Protia)

World’s First Noninvasive Immune Diagnostic Commercialized

According to industry sources on the 29th, Protias has recently begun full-scale sales of IMSAFE Saliva (hereafter “Saliva”), the world’s first saliva-based immune diagnostic device.

The Saliva test quantitatively measures immunoglobulin A (IgA), a frontline immune defense protein, providing a direct view of an individual’s systemic immune balance. IgA is primarily present in saliva, tears, and the mucous membranes of the respiratory and digestive tracts, where it blocks pathogens. Low IgA levels increase vulnerability to infections such as gastroenteritis, bronchitis, and pneumonia, and elevate risks for allergies and autoimmune diseases. Because IgA responds sensitively to stress, lack of sleep, exercise, and diet, it has recently emerged as a key biomarker for everyday health management.

The device’s biggest advantage is that it can check immune health within 15 minutes using only a few drops of saliva-no blood draw required. While conventional immune diagnostics depend on blood samples analyzed with specialized equipment, Saliva leverages Protias’s proprietary patented technology to deliver results directly to the user, without the need for additional instruments. The reagent kit can also be stored at room temperature, ensuring easy distribution and storage.

A Protias spokesperson noted: “For IgA-deficient patients, blood transfusion can trigger severe anaphylaxis caused by anti-IgA antibodies, along with rapid kidney deterioration. Regularly monitoring immune health, especially secretory IgA levels, can provide early detection or prevention of diseases.”

Because it uses saliva testing, Saliva can be marketed domestically and internationally without requiring medical device approval, and consumers can use it independently without professional guidance. The company has already secured distribution contracts in key markets such as Canada, accelerating overseas expansion. With more than half of Protias’s revenue generated abroad, the existing ◇network is expected to quickly boost global sales.

Though precise data are lacking, the market potential is believed to be significant. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global immune health supplements market is projected to grow from $203.2 billion in 2024 to $444 billion in 2032. Demand for personalized immune diagnostics is expected to grow in tandem.

Im, Kook-jin, CEO of Protia. (Source: Protia)

Three Growth Engines to Drive Revenue to KRW 50 Billion in 3 Years

Protias’s growth is expected to accelerate further with the rollout of Saliva alongside its flagship products Protias Allergy-Q 192D and Protias AST. The Allergy-Q 192D is capable of detecting more allergy-causing agents in a single test than any other product worldwide and holds a dominant 45% share of the Korean market (by test volume). It is sold in 70 countries. GlobalData projects the global allergy diagnostics market will expand from $6.1 billion in 2025 to $13.4 billion in 2034.

Protias AST shortens the conventional three-day process of antibiotic susceptibility testing to within four hours. Following its European debut, the product is now expanding worldwide. The global AST market is forecast to grow from $4.1 billion in 2024 to $5.6 billion in 2030, at a CAGR of 5.5%.

With this diversified portfolio-covering allergy, AST, and immune management-Protias aims to achieve annual revenue of KRW 50 billion ($37 million) within three years and KRW 100 billion ($73 million) within five years. The confidence is supported by its growth trajectory: first-half 2024 revenue reached KRW 6.54 billion, up 41.5% year-on-year, with more than half coming from exports.

“Our expanding portfolio across allergy, AST, and immune management positions us as a rising global diagnostic player,” the Protias spokesperson added. “At the same time, we are focused on strengthening profitability and building a solid, scalable business foundation.”