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- The MAF Test®, developed by the IRB Barcelona and ICREA spin-off Inbiomotion, is now available to oncology and pathology professionals in South Korea and is estimated to benefit around 34,000 new patients each year.
- This is the first time a product resulting from research at IRB Barcelona has reached patients in South Korea.
- This pioneering test helps oncology professionals predict recurrence and survival rates in breast cancer patients, as well as their potential eligibility to receive treatment with bisphosphonates.
- With its entry into South Korea, Inbiomotion reinforces the international projection of the MAF Test® and consolidates a distribution network that already covers Spain, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
- The SEOM-GEICAM-SOLTI Clinical Guidelines for early-stage breast cancer recommend the use of the MAF Test® in their 2025 update.
HJ HyupJin, a Seoul-based South Korean healthcare and precision diagnostics company, and Inbiomotion, proprietors of MAF Test® for identifying high-risk early-stage breast cancer patients, have signed an agreement to start offering the MAF Test® in South Korea.
This agreement represents a new milestone for knowledge transfer at IRB Barcelona, as it is the first time a product born from research developed at the Institute has reached patients in South Korea.
The MAF Test® predicts the prognosis of breast cancer patients and helps oncologists identify patients potentially receptive to the prevention of recurrence and who may benefit from adjuvant treatment with bisphosphonates, which are commonly used to treat osteoporosis. The test also makes it possible to identify patients for whom this treatment might not be appropriate.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women, with more than 2 million new cases diagnosed globally each year. Approximately 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime and, of these, 15–20% will eventually develop metastases. In South Korea, more than 34,000 women are newly diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
Thanks to this agreement, the MAF Test® will now be available in South Korea and could increase the survival of 8 out of 10 of the approximately 34,000 breast cancer patients diagnosed each year.
Choon Duk Kim, Managing Director of HJ HyupJin, said, “We are very pleased to introduce the MAF Test® to the South Korean market in collaboration with inbiomotion. We believe the MAF Test® has the potential to provide meaningful clinical value by supporting personalized treatment strategies and improving patient management. With over 10 years of marketing experience in the breast cancer field, we believe the MAF Test® will become an important addition to our breast cancer portfolio and further strengthen our commitment to precision oncology in South Korea.”
Ralf van den Berg, Chief Operating Officer of Inbiomotion, commented, "This partnership with HJ HyupJin marks an exciting new chapter for Inbiomotion as we take our first step into the Asia-Pacific region. South Korea is the ideal entry point — it has one of the most sophisticated oncology landscapes in the world, and a healthcare system that embraces innovation in precision medicine. We are confident that HJ HyupJin's expertise and established networks will ensure that the MAF Test® reaches the oncologists and patients who need it most. This is the beginning of a broader commitment to bringing personalised breast cancer care to patients across the region."
This agreement adds to the distribution alliances signed by Inbiomotion with Palex Medical for Spain and Portugal, The Scientific Group for Sub-Saharan Africa, Source BioScience for the United Kingdom and Ireland, and SPA Farma for Italy. With the addition of South Korea, the IRB Barcelona spin-off further expands the international presence of a technology that has come about from biomedical research conducted in Barcelona.
The clinical utility of MAF Test® is recognized in the 2025 SEOM-GEICAM-SOLTI Clinical Practice Guidelines for Early-Stage Breast Cancer, a key consensus document jointly developed by SEOM, GEICAM and SOLTI. The guidelines recommend the MAF Test® as a tool to help guide clinicians in identifying early-stage breast cancer patients who may benefit from adjuvant bisphosphonate treatment, and those for whom such treatment may not be appropriate.
About Inbiomotion
Inbiomotion is a spin-off of IRB Barcelona and ICREA, founded in 2011 by Dr. Roger Gomis, group leader at IRB Barcelona, following the identification of the MAF gene as a biomarker to predict bone metastasis in breast cancer. Inbiomotion has developed a diagnostic kit based on the detection of MAF gene amplification, the MAF Test®, to promote precision medicine and improve the treatment of breast cancer patients.
The arrival of the MAF Test® in South Korea represents a new example of the international impact of the research generated at IRB Barcelona and of how technology transfer can be translated into clinical tools that directly benefit patients worldwide.
The company holds more than 200 patents and patent applications covering the proprietary MAF Test® FISH and the use of bisphosphonates in the adjuvant treatment of early-stage breast cancer patients. The company's primary investors are Ysios Capital, Caixa Capital Risc, Alta Life Sciences, and the Vila Casas Foundation. For more information, please visit www.inbiomotion.com.
About HJ HyupJin
HJ HyupJin is a South Korea-based healthcare and precision diagnostics company focused on bringing innovative molecular diagnostic technologies and advanced oncology solutions to the South Korean market. With expertise in regulatory strategy, clinical implementation, and hospital partnership development, HJ HyupJin is committed to accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge diagnostic technologies in Korea. The company works closely with healthcare providers, academic institutions, and industry partners to support evidence-based cancer care and personalized treatment decision-making.
About the MAF Test®
The MAF gene (mesenchymal aponeurotic fibrosarcoma gene, a transcription factor of the AP-1 family) is amplified in primary cancer tumours. It is associated with increased metastasis, especially bone metastasis. MAF transcriptionally controls genes such as PTHrP, which regulates metastasis-related cellular processes such as survival, initiation, metabolic rewiring, and adhesion. The MAF Test® is a FISH (Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation)-based diagnostic test that detects MAF gene amplification in tumour tissue from breast cancer patients at an early stage of the disease.
About IRB Barcelona
The Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) pursues a society free of disease. To this end, it conducts multidisciplinary research of excellence to cure cancer and other diseases linked to ageing. It establishes technology transfer agreements with the pharmaceutical industry and major hospitals to bring research results closer to society, and organises a range of science outreach activities to engage the public in an open dialogue. IRB Barcelona is an international centre that hosts 400 researchers and more than 30 nationalities. Recognised as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence since 2011, IRB Barcelona is a CERCA centre and member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
