Gov't orders recall of exported botulinum toxin by Medytox

SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's drug safety agency said Thursday that it has ordered local drugmaker Medytox to recall botulinum toxin product for overseas markets for poor quality issues.

The drugs affected are one batch of Meditoxin produced in Oct. 2016, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said. The recall order on Wednesday came just two days before the expiration date of the drugs.

The ministry said that two other batches of the drugs -- whose expiration dates have already passed -- will also be subject to the recall if they are still in circulation.

The ministry said detailed tests showed that the botulinum toxin products -- which are effective in treating various muscle spasms, overactive muscle diseases and facial wrinkles -- failed to meet potency and moisture content requirements.

"Medytox has yet to provide information on the quantity of Meditoxin exported or the amount that could still be in use, but it is now obliged to find out and make the information public," the drug safety agency said.

A Medytox official said the one batch of drugs is worth 1.1 billion won (US$932,000) and the combined value of the two other batches of drugs is 3.3 billion won.

Still, he did not provide details on how many countries the drugs were shipped to.

Medytox said no foreign claims have been made about the products so far, but it is working with partners to recall all remaining products.

The drugs were produced in 2016 when Medytox began to operate its plant in Osong, about 120 kilometers south of Seoul.

yonngong@yna.co.kr
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