Ildong started developing a treatment for COVID-19

Co-clinical with Shionogi Pharmaceutical, contributes to establishing treatment sovereignty through localization

Clinical trials are conducted on 200 asymptomatic, mild, and severe patients in Korea

Attention is focusing on whether or not the 3rd oral treatment in the world will be released after Pfizer and MSD

Ildong Pharmaceutical and Shionogi Pharmaceutical have begun joint development of oral COVID-19 treatments, drawing keen attention to whether they will succeed in commercializing them in the future.

 

Ildong Pharmaceutical officially announced on the 17th that it will participate in the development of S-217622 as a candidate for oral COVID-19 treatment along with Shionogi Pharmaceutical, and attention is being paid to whether it will create the third drug in the world to contribute to the end of the pandemic after Pfizer and MSD.

 

Accordingly, Ildong Pharmaceutical plans to start the development process as soon as the recruitment of patients is completed after obtaining IND approval for the domestic clinical trial (P2/3) of S-217622 from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea.

 

According to Ildong Pharmaceutical, it aims to become the EUA of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety within the first half of 2022.

 

Although Pfizer and MSD, two global big pharmas, are already set to commercialize oral treatments for COVID-19, the pipeline should be expanded in terms of high drug costs worth nearly 850,000 won and protection of doctors and patients' drug options.

 

In particular, S-217622 is a candidate substance for a new drug targeting the COVID-19 virus from the beginning, so it is different from drug re-creation development cases that utilize existing substances that have already been licensed or developed with other indications.

 

According to previous studies, S-217622 prevents virus proliferation by inhibiting protease (3CL-protase), which exists only in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the source of infection that causes COVID-19.

 

It has also been confirmed that alpha, beta, gamma, and delta COVID-19 mutations all have similar levels of virus proliferation inhibition capabilities.

 

More efficient medication convenience is also drawing attention.

 

Pfizer's Paxlovid requires a total of 30 tablets, twice a day for 5 days, and the 5-day dose of MSD's Lagevrio reaches 40.

 

On the other hand, S-217622 is being developed once a day for 5 days.

 

It is expected to be smaller than the previous two treatments.

 

The prospect that localization of treatments according to the terms of the joint development contract and improvement of access to domestic patients will have an advantage over other competitive drugs is also receiving positive reviews.

 

If Ildong Pharmaceutical succeeds in developing the S-217622, it is planning domestic production through technology transfer.

 

An official from Ildong Pharmaceutical said, "Korea's clinical design aims at more than 200 asymptomatic, mild, and severe patients.

 

If development is successful, stable drug production and supply are expected by establishing sovereignty over treatments.

 

Considering the data so far, it shows excellent safety, he said.

 

Ildong Pharmaceutical and Shionogi Pharmaceutical have maintained a partnership for 40 years since the 1980s.

 

Japan Pharmaceutical introduces and sells Shionogi Pharmaceutical's antibiotic Flumarin and Pirespa, a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, in Korea, and cooperates in the clinical phase for the first time.

 

Shionogi is the world's top 50 pharmaceutical company that has focused on developing innovative treatments by focusing on treatment areas in the fields of anti-infectious diseases and central nervous system disorders, including antibiotics and antiviral drugs, for 144 years since its foundation in 1878.

 

It has also developed large global new drugs such as flu treatment Xofluza, antibiotic Petroja, and hyperlipidemia treatment Crestor.