It was confirmed that Notus, a non-clinical clinical trial consignment (CRO) company, received a 2% contract from Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s new coronavirus infection treatment (Corona 19) treatment.
According to Notes on the 22nd, the company is conducting a non-clinical clinical trial of’DWRX2003′ (ingredient name niclosamide), which Daewoong Pharmaceutical is developing as a treatment for Corona 19.
Since 2017, Knotus has been promoting research cooperation on new drug candidates through an annual maintenance and management contract with Daewoong Pharmaceuticals for animal laboratory facilities.
“Daewoong Pharmaceutical is commissioned to test the DWRX2003 hamster model efficacy test requested by the National Institutes of Health (NIH),” said an official from Notus. did.
Recently, Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s’DWRX2003′ is emerging as a candidate substance for COVID-19 treatment.
According to Daewoong Pharmaceutical, 200 patients with mild and moderate symptoms of Corona 19 were prepared to start phase 2 clinical trials within the year, and submitted an application for a trial plan (IND) to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
After administering’DWRX2003′ once to hamsters on the 3rd, 5th and 7th days of infection, the results of a viral gene amplification test (RT-PCR) confirmed excellent antiviral efficacy, and showed anti-inflammatory efficacy in histopathology test This is Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s explanation.
DWRX2003 was also preliminarily selected as a project to support the construction of production equipment for COVID-19 treatment by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute.
The final selection will be confirmed in January of next year after deliberation by the National R&D Facility and Equipment Review Committee according to the Korea Health Industry Promotion Agency’s health and medical technology development project. Upon completion of the selection, Daewoong Pharmaceutical will carry out mass production of DWRX2003 clinical samples and supply by December 2021. Out of about 3.8 billion won in production facility costs, up to 1.9 billion won will be supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Niclosamide, which is being jointly developed by Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Daewoong Therapeutics, is a candidate substance that has proven its effects in various animal models, such as removing viruses, inhibiting cytokine storms, and improving respiratory distress.
The virus removal action uses the SKP2 inhibitory action that decomposes virus particles that have penetrated by activating virus autophagy, and Daewoong Pharmaceutical expects that the Corona 19 virus can be removed even if it is mutated.
Note that if Daewoong Pharm develops a COVID-19 treatment based on DWRX2003 and makes a profit, it is expected that Knotus will earn profits together.