Celltrion's COVID-19 treatment kills virus within 4-5 days: chief

SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean pharmaceutical giant Celltrion Inc.'s COVID-19 treatment kills the coronavirus within 4-5 days, effectively protecting patients with mild symptoms from developing a severe case, the company's chief said Wednesday.

Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jung-jin said the first stage trial of CT-P59, anti-COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment, shortened the recovery time of patients with no side effect reported so far.

"Past clinical trial results showed that coronavirus nearly dies within 4-5 days," Seo said in a radio interview. "(The treatment) gets rid of possibilities of developing severe symptoms or causing damage to internal organs."

Celltrion said the first trial enrolled 18 patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms, mostly elderly, at three different sites in South Korea and Europe to evaluate the safety, tolerability and antiviral effect of CT-P59.

The result of the phase one clinical trial showed that the recovery time of patients was reduced by 44 percent, the company said, noting the second and third stage trials are currently under way.

Seo said Celltrion has already begun manufacturing CT-P59 for about 100,000 patients to get ready for use once the company gets approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

"If the phase two trial is completed within this year and presents no side effect, (the company) will apply for a conditional approval in December to treat patients at an earlier date," Seo said.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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