[서정진 셀트리온 명예회장 온라인 기자 간담]
Attempt to shorten the administration time by 30 minutes
Review of easy administration methods such as inhalation
“Considering vaccine development… it’s not a decision”
Emphasis on’preparation’ for technology sovereignty
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Jeongjin Seo Celltrion (068270)The honorary chairman of the group announced that he would draw the results of phase 3 clinical trials of’Recyronaju’, the first domestic novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) treatment, by July. It also showed the possibility of developing a vaccine if necessary.
Honorary Chairman Seo held an online press conference on the 18th and said, “Last month, we entered phase 3 clinical trials of Rekkirona, and so far, we have been taking medication to 150 people. After 3 months, the administration will be terminated, and it will take about 5 months for the data to come out. I see it as” he explained.
Rekironaju is the first product approved among the domestically developed COVID-19 treatments, and began to be supplied to medical institutions on the 17th, and a total of 151 bottles have been provided to four medical institutions so far. Subjects to be administered are high-risk patients with mild and moderate symptoms.
In phase 3 clinical trial of Rekyrona, which is currently targeting 1,172 domestic and foreign patients, an attempt is made to shorten the administration time from 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour by 30 minutes. We are also considering a plan to change the administration method from an intravenous injection method to an easier method such as an inhalation method, which can only be met by going to the hospital. Honorary Chairman Seo also said, “Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are undergoing preliminary examinations” regarding overseas exports.
Honorary Chairman Seo said on the day that “we are considering developing a vaccine as well as a cure.” He said, “If our country cannot secure the technological sovereignty of the vaccine, it may have to make a U-turn at the end of the tunnel when the outbreak of the mutant virus is in full swing. I am ready to do it urgently.” He added, “If you can make an antibody, you can make an antigen, and the antigen development has already ended.” It is interpreted as meaning that it will jump into development if Korea lags behind in the development of a vaccine while several countries have begun to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 mutation. However, Honorary Chairman Seo said, “It is ready, but it was not decided.”
Honorary Chairman Seo was also confident in developing a mutant virus treatment that Celltrion is developing. Celltrion is currently developing a cocktail-type customized mutant treatment that mixes Rekirona with other candidate antibodies. Honorary Chairman Seo said, “We have built a pool of neutralizing antibodies that will confidently respond to any mutations,” and said, “We will end phase 2 clinical trials within 6 months after developing a mutant-response cocktail treatment using candidate antibody No. 32.” Previously, as a result of the mutant virus neutralizing ability test for Leckirona strain, the British mutant showed strong neutralizing ability, but the neutralizing ability decreased for the South African mutant virus. Antibody No. 32 possessed by Celltrion showed neutralizing ability in both British and South African mutants. The mutation treatment clinical trial is conducted as a single clinical trial in South Africa. It is expected to enter animal testing next month and complete phase 2 clinical trials by August.
Celltrion’s side actively refuted the comments that Rekirona was not effective in mild patients or that it could be poisonous by causing an antibody-dependent immune enhancement (ADE) reaction in severe patients. Celltrion clinical planning manager Kim Seong-hyun explained, “The time required for clinical recovery even in mild patients has been shortened by more than two days.” However, there was a discussion on whether this effect was effective in terms of economy because of the use of expensive antibody treatments. Honorary Chairman Seo also criticized, “It is too irresponsible to say that this is not a drug, but a poison,” saying, “The ADE symptoms in which the virus symptoms are intensified or the amount of virus increases due to antibodies have not been reported in Corona 19 patients.”
/ Reporter Joo-won Lee [email protected]
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