Samsung invests $110m in US biotech firm Grail for Asia cancer test push

A Samsung Electronics flag flies outside the company's offices in Seocho-gu, Seoul (Newsis)

Samsung Electronics said Friday that the company and its affiliate Samsung C&T will jointly invest $110 million in US-based biotechnology firm Grail.

The two Samsung companies have signed a letter of intent with Grail for a strategic collaboration aimed at bringing the US firm’s multi-cancer early detection test to key Asian markets, including Korea, Japan and Singapore.

Under the agreement, the companies will acquire Grail common shares at $70.05 apiece, with the transaction expected to close in early 2026.

Grail has developed advanced technology capable of detecting minuscule fragments of cancer-related DNA circulating in the bloodstream. Its platform harnesses artificial intelligence and genomic analysis to detect cancer early and predict its tissue of origin.

At the core of Grail’s innovation is Galleri, a multi-cancer early detection test launched in 2021. The test can identify more than 50 types of cancer from a single blood draw.

Backed by large-scale clinical trials, Galleri has already been used in approximately 400,000 screenings and is currently being tested in collaboration with the UK’s National Health Service in one of the world’s largest clinical studies of its kind.

Grail plans to seek approval from the US Food and Drug Administration next year, which would open doors for wider adoption in mainstream medical settings.

Through the investment, Samsung C&T has secured exclusive distribution rights for Galleri in Korea, with future expansion plans across other Asian markets.

Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, aims to integrate Grail’s genomic diagnostic technologies into its own digital health ecosystem, centered around the Samsung Health platform.

"A potential collaboration with Grail could allow for the integration of our AI, our digital care platform and device ecosystem with Grail's clinical genetic data and technology, which could allow us to provide a level of personalization for our users to help them better understand their health," said Hon Pak, senior vice president and head of the digital health team at Samsung Electronics.

The move builds on Samsung’s growing footprint in biotech and digital healthcare. Samsung C&T, through its Life Science Fund co-established with Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepis, has previously invested in C2N Diagnostics, a US firm developing blood-based Alzheimer’s diagnostics, and in the eighth fund of biotech venture capital firm Flagship Pioneering.

Samsung Electronics has also bolstered its health care investments, backing Element Biosciences — a DNA sequencing company — and acquiring US digital health startup Xealth in July.