Celltrion eyes emergency authorization for COVID-19 treatment next month

By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korean pharmaceutical giant Celltrion Inc.'s coronavirus treatment is likely to file for emergency authorization use from local drug authorities next month, the company's chief said Wednesday.

CT-P59, anti-COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment, is currently undergoing a phase two clinical trial locally after successfully completing a phase one clinical trial on healthy volunteers who had not contracted COVID-19.

"Celltrion is currently wrapping up the phase two clinical trial of the antibody treatment and we will try our best to receive conditional authorization from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety by the end of the year," Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jung-jin said.

Experimental drugs under clinical trial are sometimes granted approval for emergency usage in cases where diseases are life-threatening and there is no other treatment option.

The company earlier announced that CT-P59 shortened the recovery time of patients with no reported side effect. The company also said that the drug kills the coronavirus within 4-5 days, effectively protecting patients with mild symptoms from developing a severe case.

khj@yna.co.kr
(END)