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Innovative Startup "ReadyCure"
Pioneering a New Era with a Low-Dose Radiation Therapy System Specialized for Dementia

What is the disease people fear most today?
Many would point to cancer and dementia. Cancer consumes our body, while dementia erodes our mind, 

ultimately leading to death. Both diseases leave profound pain and scars, not only for patients but also for their loved ones. 

That is why the medical field is dedicated to developing technologies and devices to fight cancer and dementia every moment.

Medical professionals are now integrating their knowledge and experience with cutting-edge information and 

communication technology, leading to unprecedented medical advancements. Thanks to these innovations, 

humanity now has a better chance in the battle against cancer and dementia.

Weon Kuu Chung, the CEO of the medical biotech startup RADICURE, is one such medical professional 

devoted to researching and developing technology to combat dementia.

Mr. Chung is the Clinical Director of Radiation Oncology at Kyung Hee University Hospital in 

Gangdong and has over 30 years of experience in the field. He has also served as a research instructor 

at Duke University School of Medicine in the U.S. and has participated in various national research projects 

on the development of radiation therapy equipment. With his experience, he quickly recognized the risks 

of dementia and the potential of ‘low-dose radiation’ as a treatment.

"In our country, the number of dementia patients is rapidly increasing each year. 

Currently, about one in ten elderly individuals in Korea has dementia.
While the elderly population grows by 4% each year, the rate of dementia patients rises at a 

much higher rate of 15%. Naturally, the cost of treating dementia patients is also rising. 

In 2019, Korea spent approximately 16.5 trillion won on dementia patient management. 

I felt there was an urgent need to reduce the number of dementia patients and the associated costs."

The medical field initially focused on developing medications to treat dementia, 

but the effects on cognitive improvement were limited, and safety concerns arose.
Recently, research has shown that applying ‘low doses’ of radiation used in cancer treatment to 

dementia-induced mice has a positive effect on cognitive function.

However, using cancer treatment radiation equipment for dementia patients poses 

challenges in terms of equipment price and cost.
Moreover, I believed that the energy and radiation dose rates of traditional equipment were 

unsuitable for treating chronic inflammation-related conditions like dementia.

Therefore, I focused on developing a low-dose radiation generator, distinct from the 

high-dose equipment typically used. Treating dementia with radiation might sound unconventional, right? 

To understand it, one must first grasp the mechanisms behind dementia and the limitations of current treatments."

The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. In Korea, 75% of dementia patients suffer from Alzheimer's.
It is known that Alzheimer's develops when abnormal proteins such as beta-amyloid and tau accumulate in the brain.

"Simply put, Alzheimer's is caused by a buildup of waste in the brain. However, 

removing this waste does not revive the already damaged neurons.
The reason most existing dementia drugs fail to provide a fundamental cure is that they assume 

clearing away the waste would restore the patient's cognitive function.

The fundamental treatment is to strengthen the function of 'microglia,' the brain's 'immune cells' 

that act as janitors, cleaning up this waste. Microglia not only clean up waste but also play a crucial 

role in improving cognitive function by enhancing synaptic plasticity.

Immune cells have two different phenotypes: M1 and M2. When waste accumulates in the brain, 

an excess of M1 phenotype immune cells forms in the microglia. It is helpful to understand them as 

immune cells that aggressively consume waste. As a result, they overclean the waste and 

may even start attacking neuronal cells in the brain.

In contrast, M2 phenotype immune cells perform their task of selectively removing waste effectively 

and beneficially for our bodies. Maintaining a balance between M1 and M2 phenotype immune cells 

is key to preserving brain health. When this balance is disrupted, with M1 phenotype cells prevailing, 

neuronal cells are destroyed, and the brain shrinks. This leads to Alzheimer’s disease, 

and arthritis operates on a similar principle, where macrophages become M1 phenotype and attack joints, causing disease.

Interestingly, a recent study has shown that low-dose radiation can convert M1 phenotype immune cells 

into M2 phenotype immune cells, as evidenced by scientific papers.
This allows for a balanced ratio of immune cells, effectively treating Alzheimer's and arthritis 

by restoring normalcy from abnormal states.

In fact, I proposed this hypothesis a long time ago. Then, almost like a miracle, research papers emerged 

from Germany and the United States proving that low-dose radiation changes immune cell phenotypes and 

suppresses inflammation. Reading these papers filled me with excitement.”

In 2016, the American medical community conducted an experiment dividing the brains of mice with 

Alzheimer’s into two regions, leaving one untreated and exposing the other to radiation. 

The Alzheimer-inducing substance, beta-amyloid, in the irradiated side of the brain disappeared. 

Inspired by this paper, Weon Kuu Chung decided to research the potential of low-dose radiation.

While collecting data through repeated preclinical trials, he came across a German study reporting 

that low-dose radiation relieved inflammation when applied to joints. After reviewing a study comparing 

response rates between high-dose radiation equipment used for cancer treatment and lower-energy 

radiation equipment, he observed that lower-energy radiation treatment had a response rate about 20% higher. 

This reinforced his belief in the great potential of developing a 'low-dose radiation device specifically for 

dementia,' suitable for treating chronic inflammatory conditions.

“Until now, the medical field has focused on using radiation to kill cancer and other cells. 

However, there is also a way to use radiation to save cells. This requires adjusting the dose, 

intensity (energy), total amount, and exposure time of radiation. Think of it as the difference between a 

sudden heavy downpour and a steady drizzle. There is still much to research on low-dose radiation, 

which requires knowledge from biology, physics, and clinical science.”

The result of Weon Kuu Chung's efforts is the low-dose radiation system, ReadyCure AMG-300. 

This device combines a carbon nanotube source with AI control to precisely adjust radiation dose, 

energy, and angle. Traditional filament-based radiation generators are costly and cannot emit 'pulsed radiation,' 

which better protects healthy tissue. Chung designed his equipment with relatively lower energy and dose rate, 

enabling adjustments to dose and angle for various indications. Related patents have also been filed.

The advantages of ReadyCure AMG-300 extend beyond therapeutic effectiveness. It also requires less 

installation space. Existing radiation generators emit radiation during operation, necessitating shielding 

around the installation area. Due to their large size, they can only be installed in large hospitals, 

usually in shielded basement rooms.

ReadyCure AMG-300, however, is designed with built-in shielding, allowing it to be installed anywhere 

without the need for additional shielding. Its size is also smaller than conventional radiation generators. 

Weon Kuu Chung mentions that this product could be installed in open areas like hospital lobbies, 

where visitors can watch patient treatments.

Chung also envisions a cloud-based subscription service system. Through cloud control of ReadyCure AMG-300, 

healthcare providers can deliver customized treatments to patients without time or location constraints. 

With a subscription model, hospitals can reduce not only the costs of purchasing and maintaining 

equipment but also the burden on medical resources.

“We are developing personalized treatment technology that uses AI in the ReadyCure AMG-300 to determine 

the optimal radiation dose, energy level, and angle for each patient. Additionally, patient data can be shared among 

hospitals or treatment centers via the cloud, increasing the efficiency of medical services. 

This means patients can receive treatment close to home, or even experienced medical professionals in 

Seoul could care for patients in the U.S. or Europe.

We are also considering a subscription service. By offering ReadyCure AMG-300 and AI software as a 

subscription service, clinics could provide radiation therapy without a radiation oncologist, 

medical physicist, or radiation therapist, as ReadyCure’s team could handle radiation therapy via cloud services. 

This approach allows hospitals to save on equipment and human resources costs.”

Weon Kuu Chung aims to expand the use of ReadyCure AMG-300 not only for dementia treatment but 

also for skin keloids, degenerative arthritis, and radiation treatment for pets.

“Low-dose radiation is also effective in treating chronic inflammatory skin diseases like atopic dermatitis and 

preventing recurrence after keloid surgery by suppressing inflammation. The skin treatment market alone is 

expected to reach 12 trillion won by 2025. Patients with degenerative arthritis, which will increase with 

population aging, could also benefit from low-dose radiation. The therapeutic capacity of the ReadyCure 

AMG-300 is applicable to both humans and pets.”

ReadyCure plans to develop an AMG-300 prototype in 2022, conduct clinical trials for approval in 2023, 

and obtain medical device usage approval and KFDA item authorization in 2024, aiming for mass production 

in 2025. They have already secured partnerships for each stage, from component and technology development 

to commercialization and mass production. Collaboration and clinical trials are scheduled with large university 

hospitals in Korea, while strategies for market formation for low-dose radiation therapy systems are being 

established with veterinary colleges and hospitals.

Weon Kuu Chung, who has practiced medicine for decades, credits Hongneung's Research 

and Development Special Zone for its support in allowing him to simultaneously pursue technology development, 

device innovation, and startup founding. Despite the challenges of balancing R&D with business and regulatory 

limitations, he remains determined to overcome these obstacles through his experience.

“I received a lot of essential information for running a startup from Hongneung's Research and Development 

Special Zone. It was invaluable in bringing my ideas to life, which is often the hardest part of founding a startup. 

Their proactive support was a great help.

However, there are still major hurdles to overcome. While remote medical technology can be developed smoothly, 

navigating medical regulations is challenging. Low-dose radiation therapy systems fall under medical devices, 

so regulatory approvals must be addressed. Securing investment is also challenging, and we need to find 

ways to enhance brand recognition and influence.”