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- 2026-05-08 10:08:52
- Policy
- Chong Kun Dang recruits consignment companies for Atozet
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 19, 2020 06:28am
- Atozet by MSDChong Kun Dang submitted an application for approval in April for Atorvastatin-Ezetimibe, generic for Atozet and recruiting consignment companies is also gaining popularity. Chong Kun Dang applied for item approval of Atorvastatin-Ezetimibe through its own clinical trial. Considering the maximum period of 6 months for the approval review period, it is expected around October. On the other hand, generic companies must apply for approval after the expiration of Atozet's PMS on January 22, next year, so it is possible to approve product permission as early as February of that year. However, if generic companies sign an entrusted production contract with Chong Kun Dang, which allows early approval, to obtain product permission, not only will the market entry be accelerated, but it will be advantageous in terms of drug price registration. Only 20 companies can receive benefits. According to the industry on the 18th, more pharmaceutical companies expressed their willingness to participate in the recruitment of 20 consignment manufacturers of generic for Atozet by Chong Kun Dang. Chong Kun Dang started recruiting consignment manufacturers, seeing that product approval was possible within this year. In particular, Chong Kun Dang's products are drugs for data-based re-evaluation that have undergone clinical trials, and are not generic drugs. Therefore, the consignment licensed items produced by Chong Kun Dang become authorized generics rather than generic drugs. Authorized generics can receive the highest price regardless of the conditions for DMF listing or direct bioequivalence test. However, prices for generics that are applied for permission after the end of the PMS of the original drug, drop at a certain rate if they do not directly go through the bioequivalence test. Currently, 29 cases have been approved for bioequivalence protocols to conduct bioequivalence tests directly with Atozet. However, they can apply for permission on January 22, when PMS ends, so there is a high possibility that the approval of the item will be delayed than that of Chong Kun Dang consigned products. Moreover, when the number of Chong Kun Dang commissioned production items reaches 20, the drug prices for generics that are applied for permission after the end of the PMS will drop again due to stepped pricing system. For this reason, many pharmaceutical companies are expressing their intention to participate in the recruitment of Chong Kun Dang's consignment companies. An industry official said, "Pharmaceutical companies that do not directly proceed or fail the bioequivalence test want a contract for consignment production with Chong Kun Dang. It is known that more companies than the 20 recruitment limit already expressed their intention to participate." On the other hand, companies that have already conducted bioequivalence tests and have been successful are complaining that they may be disadvantageous in drug prices due to Chong Kun Dang's consignment companies. Some say that companies of incrementally modified drugs should regulate the tricks of recruiting contractors using stepped pricing system.
- Policy
- No more approval on all appetite suppressants
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 19, 2020 06:28am
- New approval on appetite suppressant amfepramone, also known as diethylpropion hydrochloride, and mazindol drugs would be restricted. These substances were added to the list of restricted approval substance due to the risk of abusing narcotics for medical purposes. Now, the list of restricted narcotic drugs includes amfepramone, mazindol, GHB, phentermine, phendimetrazine and propofol. On Aug. 14, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced appetite suppressant amfepramone and mazindol would be designated as narcotics for medical purpose (psychotropic drug) ad restricted from new approval. Currently, 14 amfepramone items and two mazindol items are approved and available in the market. The ministry explained the restriction has been ordered to protect the safety of the people as concerns of abusing these drugs have been raised, regardless of the effort made so far to promote the adequate use of appetite suppressants. The production volume of appetite suppressants have increased from 244,213 in 2017 to 283,042 in 2019. Also 128 users have been reported for using the products from July last year through last May. Other appetite suppressants like phentermine and phendimetrazine have been restricted from new approval since 2013. With the new action, MFDS stated all appetite suppressants would be restricted from new approval. However, a product in new formulation or for export purpose would be able to seek for approval, regardless of the new restriction. Prior to the action, MFDS noted the government has explained the need of tightened control over these drugs through industry meetings and opinion survey. MFDS official said, “For the safe use and appropriate prescription of narcotics for medical purposes, the government would draw up plans to raise awareness of safe use of narcotics among the public and medical professionals. And by cooperating with relevant institutes and companies, the ministry would do the best to prevent any harm caused by abusing narcotics for medical purpose.”
- Policy
- Vaccine by Novavax, produced by SK Bioscience
- by Kim, Jung-Ju Aug 19, 2020 06:27am
- The government has signed a letter of intent (LOI) for cooperation in domestic production and supply in order to smoothly supply the vaccine developed overseas for COVID-19. The domestic supply chain is SK Bioscience, which has joined the production of AstraZeneca products. The MOHW (Minister Park Neung Hoo) at SK Bioscience Research Institute (Pangyo, Seongnam) at 9 p.m. on the 13th, together with Novavax (CEO Stanley C. Erck) and SK Bioscience (CEO Ahn Jae-yong), COVID-19 being developed by US Novavax. A letter of intent (LOI) was signed for cooperation in global production and domestic supply of vaccines. Currently, about 160 COVID-19 vaccines are being developed worldwide, and these vaccine candidates are largely classified into ▲viral carriers ▲synthetic antigens ▲nucleic acids (DNA, mRNA) ▲inactivated types (platforms) according to the type of technology. The vaccine being developed by Novavax is a synthetic antigen method, which is different from the virus carrier vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca, UK, which signed a LOI for cooperation in securing domestic vaccine supply for the first time in July. As it aims to enter phase III clinical trials in October this year, it is evaluated that the development speed is the fastest among synthetic conjugated vaccines. The MOHW said, "This agreement signifies that a domestic company has been recognized for the production capacity and technology level of vaccine supply from other platforms, and participates in the global production and supply chain. It is of great significance in that it has prepared a channel for cooperation to secure vaccines from Novavax, which has a different vaccine platform following AstraZeneca in July.” At the signing ceremony, The MOHW (Minister Park Neung Hoo) said, "Following July, the signing of a LOI has been a very big achievement as it has been able to further increase the possibility of supplying vaccines to Korea by diversifying available vaccines in preparation for the uncertainty of the success of vaccine development. The government supports domestic companies' own vaccine development until the end, while making great efforts to quickly secure excellent overseas vaccines with a fast development speed based on a two-track strategy."
- Policy
- Development of generic for Pelubi is active
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 18, 2020 06:03am
- Daewon Pharm’s anti-inflammatory generics for Pelubi, which recorded an outpatient prescription of ₩28.9 billion last year, is actively developing. In July, the first application for permission of generic for Pelubi was received, and nine bioequivalence test plans were approved this year. Generic companies are now developing not only Pelubi, but also Pelubi SR. However, additional indications acquired late through a clinical trial by Daewon Pharm are expected to be protected as long as the PMS expires. According to the industry and the MFDS on the 17th, Mothers Pharm received approval of two bioequivalence test protocols for the generics of Pelubi SR on July 29 and July 31. The first approved bioequivalence test is conducted on an empty stomach, and the second approved test is to determine the equivalence with Pelubi after meals. Earlier in May, generic by Huons was approved for the same bioequivalence test. Daewon Pharm's Pelubi SR is a drug approved in March 2015 and is administered orally after meals twice a day. Pelubi which was approved as a new drug made in Korea in April 2007, is a drug that is administered orally after meals three times a day. Generics for Pelubi by Mothers Pharm and Huons were also approved for bioequivalence tests in March, and are currently ended. In addition, Yungjin Pharm, Nexpharm, and Hutecs were also approved. However, in order for them to obtain and release generic for Pelubi, they must overcome the patent first. Formulation patent for Pelubi is scheduled to expire on November 12, 2028. Starting with Yungjin Pharm at the beginning of this year, Mothers Pharm, Hutecs, Huons, Nexpharm Korea, and Chong Kun Dang in turn requested a trial to confirm the scope of their rights for patent evasion, but a trial decision has not been made yet. In addition, the composition patent of Pelubi SR is listed on the patent list of the MFDS in the. The composition patent is scheduled to expire on October 17, 2033, but there is no patent challenge from generic companies. At the end of July, the first application for Pelubi’s generic was received, but if the patent cannot be overcome even after the product permission, it cannot enter the market for the duration. However, generic companies are confident in the success of the patent challenge and are highly likely to release early. Even so, it is difficult to secure and release all indications of Pelubi and Pelubi SR. In the case of Pelubi, there are antipyretic indications for acute upper respiratory tract infection along with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and low back pain (low back pain). Among them, PMS will expire on September 18, 2021 for antipyretic indications. Generic companies can apply for permission after the PMS expires. In addition, Pelubi SR has indications for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, low back pain (low back pain) and post-traumatic pain. Pelubi's antipyretic effect and Pelubi SR's indication for pain were obtained through additional clinical trials after the marketing of Daewon Pharm. The indications for post-traumatic pain in Felubiceron will only expire on June 16, 2024. generic companies are developing generics, excluding additional indications. In the case of Pelubi’s generic, which applied for permission at the end of July, the antipyretic indication for acute upper respiratory tract infection was omitted. In addition, generic for Pelubi SR, which is currently being developed, is expected to exclude the indication for nervous tension post traumatic pain. The recent development of Pelubi's generics shows that its popularity in the market is rising rapidly. Pelubi, which recorded ₩28.9 billion in outpatient prescriptions last year, surpassed ₩10 billion for the first time in 2017. It was only eight years after launch. As PMS already ends in April 2013, it is an analysis that generic companies have confirmed marketability and started developing generics. Pelubi, which did not meet expectations at the beginning of its release, gradually expanded its market share. This also affected the part in which Daewon Pharm acquired the indications sequentially through subsequent clinical trials. When it was approved, Pelubi's only indication was osteoarthritis. Even if another generic is released through the success of the patent challenge, the indications for acute upper respiratory tract fever and post-traumatic pain can be valid.
- Policy
- Zolgensma was added to target diseases
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 18, 2020 06:02am
- The minutes of the Central Pharmaceutical Affairs Review Committee were released in connection with the expansion of the target age of the expensive drug 'Zolgensma' of ₩2.5 billion, and it was revealed that the target disease was added on the 3rd. The committee presented a negative opinion on the expansion of the age group, but Orphan drug designation change announcement revealed that the age group has expanded. At the beginning of this year, Novartis Korea, a sales company of this drug, applied for a formal approval, and it is noteworthy how the indications will be determined when the product is approved. This is because, as this drug is an ultra-high-priced drug with a price of ₩2.5 billion by the manufacturer, the difference in the amount of benefits in the future increases depending on the difference in the number of patients. According to the industry on the 13th, the MFDS has further expanded the target disease of Zolgensma, currently designated as an orphan drug on the 3rd. Zolgensma was designated as an orphan drug in December 2018 in Korea. When designated as an orphan drug, approval screening is accelerated, and purchases are facilitated through the KOEDC. It was designated as the first orphan drug, the target disease was announced as 'spinal muscular dystrophy (Type 1)'. However, the target diseases announced this time have been changed to ▲if there is a clinical diagnosis of type 1, and ▲the number of copies of the Survival Motor Neuron 2 (SMN2) gene is 3 or less Survival Motor Neuron 1 (SMN1)' in patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) with a double allelic mutation in the gene. Spinal muscular dystrophy is all about patients with mutations in the SMN1 gene that act on the motor nerves. However, it is divided into 3 types according to symptoms. Type 1, which was previously a target disease, dies within 2 years of age from 2/3 or more, and type 2 can survive until elementary school entrance, but there are many cases of using a wheelchair due to muscle disorder, and type 3 appears normal in the neonatal period, but progresses slowly. In particular, type 1 is mostly diagnosed in infants under 6 months. Zolgensma can be administered to children under the age of 2 in the United States and Japan, and to children under 21 kg of body weight, regardless of age, approved earlier this year in Europe. On the other hand, since the use of TYPE 1 for orphan drugs designated in Korea is limited to infants under 6 months, Novartis tried to expand the patient group by adding diseases for orphan drugs before official approval. However, at the committee held in May, it was desirable to further restrict the target age, type, etc., and presented a negative opinion on the contents of Novartis' application. However, the 'survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2) gene's copy number of 3 or less' is also included in the target disease, resulting in an expanded age group. This is because many patients with type 2 and type 3 SMA diagnosed after 6 months have 3 to 4 SMN2 genes. Patients with type 1 have only one or two SMN2 genes. Currently, 60% of SMA patients are in type 1, 30% in type 2, and 10% in type 3. It means that Zolgensma can be used in types 2 and 3 regardless of age. However, it is difficult to predict the final indication as this drug has not yet been officially approved in Korea. However, there is a high possibility that the designation of orphan drugs will be reflected in the official approval. From a manufacturer's point of view, sales can be expected to increase due to the expansion of the age group. On the contrary, it seems that the insurance authorities' concerns will increase in the phase of applying for benefits after formal approval. This is because even if the number of patients used increases by just one or two, the size of the health insurance premium differs by several billion won(₩). Currently, about 17 SMA patients under the age of 2 in Korea are known to have been diagnosed annually. When the manufacturer's suggested amount is applied to the domestic patient group, the size of the treatment will reach ₩42.5 billion per year.
- Policy
- MFDS imposes fine on imported Nesina Met and Xeomin
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 14, 2020 06:22am
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea’s antidiabetic drug Nesina Met and other imported drugs have received administrative measure from Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Specifically for Nesina Met, the importer would be responsible for the health authority’s 30.15 million won fine that substituted a three-month sales ban. On Aug. 13, MFDS disclosed a list of administrative measures imposed as of Aug. 7 with the said details. Besides Nesina Met, other imported botulinum toxin products were also found on the list. Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea’s Nesina Met was fined with 30.15 million won, instead of a three-month ban, as the company neglected submission of required data for the post-marketing survey (PMS) reevaluation. The fine is due on Sept. 7. An alogliptin benzoate plus metformin hydrochloride combination antidiabetic drug, Nesina Met was approved for the Korean market in February 2015. Currently the drug is imported to Korea by Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea. The PMS reevaluation on Nesina Me was completed as of May last year. For a new drug, the company had to submit usability investigation data like adverse reaction report to MFDS during the reevaluation period. Omitting a part of required data submission once gets a three-month sales ban, and twice gets a six-month sales ban. However, the penalty can be replaced with a fine. A dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, Nesina Met has made 3.4 billion won in outpatient prescription from the first half of the year, according to UBIST. Administrative measures on some imported pharmaceuticals as of Aug. 7 (Source: MFDS) Two imported botulinum toxin products competing against Korean botulinum toxin products have also received administrative measure due to an omission of serial number. Merz Asia Pacific omitted serialization information when reporting supply history and shipping of ‘Xeomin injection’ and ‘Xeomin injection 50 unit’ from July through December 2019. As a result, the health authority imposed a fine of 14.85 million won due Sept. 7, substituting a month-long sales ban. Ipsen Korea has also gotten a sales ban on a botulinum toxin Dysport injection for to the same charges. From July through December 2019, the company also omitted to report Dysport serialization along with its supply record. The product sales would be banned for ten days from Aug. 21 to 30. Xeomin and Dysport have been imported to Korea for 4.6 billion won and 900 million won, respectively, in 2018. The two products together take up a small pie of 2.7 percent in the Korean botulinum toxin market. The serialization system has been enforced since January 2019. The government has mandated reporting of product serial number when a company ships out the products to improve transparency in distribution and user safety. Same administrative measures were given on Ipsen Korea with the same charges. The sales on Diphereline PR injection and Diphereline SR injection would be banned for ten days from Aug. 21 to 30.
- Policy
- Bayer begins development of high-dose of Eylea
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 14, 2020 06:21am
- #The competition between Bayer and Novartis for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is intensifying. After Novartis recently received approval in Korea for a new drug 'Beovu', which improved the number of doses, Bayer also began to develop a high-dose of Eylea that extended the dosing period. On the 11th, the MFDS approved a multinational phase III clinical trial plan for 'High-dose of Aflibercept' applied by Bayer Korea. Aflibercept is generic name for Eylea. Eyleais a product that is injected once every two months (8 weeks), and is the No. 1 item in the market, recording ₩46.8 billion based on IQVIA last year. The next ranking is Novartis' Lusentis, which recorded ₩30 billion, which has to be given an injection once every 4 weeks, which is less convenient than Eylea. However, Novartis was approved for Beovu inj and Beovu PFS in June and July, but because BioVu is injected once every 12 weeks, it is showing superiority in the number of doses per year than Eylea. If BioVu is released on reimbursed item, it is expected to compete with Eylea. Bayer is also preparing the ace in the hole against Novartis. It is reported that the high-dose of Eylea, which has been approved for phase III clinical trials this time, is being developed in a manner that is injected once every 12 weeks, like Beovu. Macular degeneration, which can cause loss of vision due to damage to the macular area of the eye, is known as the number one cause of blindness in the elderly. As such, there is a lot of demand for treatment. In particular, biosimilar products are also being developed, which is expected to intensify market competition in the future.
- Policy
- 1 out of 8 Koreans prescribed with narcotic anti-anxiety
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 14, 2020 06:21am
- In last year alone, one out of eight people in South Korea have been prescribed with narcotic anti-anxiety medications. On Aug. 12, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) informed a pamphlet on ‘Safe Use of Narcotic Anti-anxiety Medication’ would be disseminated with the relevant information found from its big data analysis on the use of narcotic anti-anxiety medications reported to the Narcotics Information Management System for year from April 2019 through March 2020. The informational pamphlet allows a prescriber to self-diagnose over-prescription of the narcotic anti-anxiety medication by comparing their number of patients with the medication prescription and the volume against the overall statistics. The pamphlet would provide 12 types of information to healthcare providers including overall prescription statistics (number and volume of prescription), top disorders and substances prescribed, comparison on prescription volume per patient, age limit on prescription, and overall prescription volume rank. In the past 12 months, total 6.6 million patients were prescribed with narcotic anti-anxiety drugs, which is about one-eighth of the population. In particular, more female patients (63.4 percent) were prescribed with the medication than male patients (36.6 percent), and the age group of 60s was using the medication the most (20.4 percent). Diazepam (3.19 million), alprazolam (2.66 million) and lorazepam (1.14 million) were the most prescribed substances, and total 1.05 million patients (15.9 percent) were prescribed with medication with a warning for either elderly patients or specific age group. MFDS official also stated the pamphlet would include information on propofol, zolpidem and appetite suppressant to promote adequate prescription of those narcotic medications. The official added an online pamphlet system would be established as well by coming December to provide prescription statistics and information to more medical professionals.
- Policy
- The right age to use KRW 2.5 billion SMA drug Zolgensma
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 13, 2020 06:27am
- Novartis Prior to the South Korean health authority’s approval on Zolgensma, known as the most expensive drug in the world, Central Pharmaceutical Affairs Deliberation Committee discussed the appropriate age of the drug user. The manufacturer Novartis has applied for an indication to treat patients under the age of two, but the committee concluded the age bracket should be lowered due to lack of clinical data. Unlike the U.S. and Japanese health authorities indicated the drug to be used on children under age two, the Korean health authority would likely to indicate the drug to treat infants under one year or six months. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) disclosed the minutes from Central Pharmaceutical Affairs Deliberation Committee meeting in last May discussing the designation of Zolgensma as an orphan drug. Developed by Novartis, Zolgensma is a spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) treatment and the company priced the drug initially at 2.5 billion won, which gave the drug the title of ‘the most expensive drug in the world.’ The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval on the drug in May last year. In Korea, Novartis Korea has submitted the health authority approval application in last February and it awaits the final approval. SMA is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by mutations in survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene that encodes the SMN protein. It is a severe disease that usually occurs in infants, which leads to death. The diagnosed patients are in dire need of treatment at the moment. Categorized into three types, the two-thirds of type 1 result in death before the age of two, and type 2 patients may survive until pre-school, but most of them needs assistance in wheelchair due to muscular disability. Infants with type 3 seem normal but the disease advances slowly. At the moment, the existing SMA treatment in the market is Biogen’s Spinraza. Approved in 2017, Spinraza was also a vastly expensive drug priced at about 100 million won per administration. Although Spinraza has to be administered three to four times a year for a number of years, Zolgensma is a gene therapy administered only once. In last May, Central Pharmaceutical Affairs Deliberation Committee reviewed the subject patient’s age and treatment initiation period as requested by Norvatis. The company suggested using the drug on SMA patient under the age of two, but the committee members were against it. A committee member noted, “For clinical purposes, a variety of options is always welcomed, but Spinraza has been developed and the government should carefully decide whether to indicate the drug for ‘age under two’ or not, as the long-term clinical data on the drug’s efficacy and safety are insufficient.” Another committee member explained, “It would seem more appropriate to set the subject patient’s age as under one year or six months.” The chair of the committee also said the manufacturer’s request was not appropriate, so the patient age and type should be limited more. Instead of conventionally deciding the treatment period based on the types, the committee saw it would be appropriate to use a new categorization to administer the drug in patient with or without the symptom (diagnosed by gene testing). The committee also urged MFDS to consider the drug significantly improving the convenience of administration method as a gene therapy, although it cannot clearly prove improvement in safety and efficacy compared to the existing treatment option. Currently, about 17 patients under the age of two are diagnosed with SMA annually in Korea. The next concern for the drug is its high price. As the reimbursement listing process for Spinraza was a long and tough race, the health insurance authority would also have to expect the world’s most expensive Spinraza to bring even a tougher process.
- Policy
- There are 13 COVID-19 treatments in domestic clinical trials
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Aug 13, 2020 06:25am
- Currently, there are 9 antiviral drugs and 4 immunomodulatory drugs for COVID-19 treatments currently in clinical trials in Korea. As antiviral drugs and immunomodulatory drugs have different mechanisms of action, treatment methods are also different. The MFDS said that two clinical trials (Rebif, GX-I7) were added since the announcement on July 22, and a total of 20 (18 treatments and 2 vaccines) were approved in Korea by the 11th. Of these, five clinical trials for treatment have ended and there are currently 15 clinical trials in progress (13 treatments and two vaccines). COVID-19 treatments that have been developed so far are largely divided into 'antiviral agents' and 'immunomodulators' depending on the mechanism of action. Antiviral drugs are most commonly developed as medicines that remove viruses that cause infection. A representative example is 'Remdesivir', which was recently approved. Immunomodulators are drugs that show therapeutic effects by regulating the immune function, and are being actively developed as the main cause of death of COVID-19 patients is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which causes excessive immune and inflammatory reactions. Antiviral drugs remove or weaken the virus in order to block the infection of the virus that has entered our body. Looking at the virus' infection process, the virus introduced into the human body penetrates into cells through receptors on the cell surface, creates a large number of new viruses in the cell, and the newly created virus comes out of the cell and penetrates into other cells, Antiviral agents that are currently being developed show an effect by blocking the path through which the virus penetrates into the cell during this process or by blocking the proliferation process that makes genetic material within the cell. Alvesco, Levovir, Pyramax, Nafamostat (Futhan, CKD-314), Camostat (CG-CAM20, DW1248), CT-P59, and Interferon (Rebif), which are currently in clinical trials, are expected to block the COVID-19 virus. In the case of 'Alvesco', it is expected to exhibit both antiviral and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of action. Immunomodulators include anti-inflammatory and immune enhancing agents. Anti-inflammatory drugs suppress the inflammatory response by regulating excessive immunity caused by COVID-19 infection. When the immune response occurs excessively due to infection by the virus, a lot of substances (cytokines) that cause inflammation are secreted, and the inflammatory response increases abnormally, damaging normal cells such as lung tissue, leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome, resulting in insufficient oxygen in the body. Anti-inflammatory drugs prevent damage to normal cells by inhibiting substances (cytokines) that cause excessive inflammatory reactions, such as 'Baricitinib, Ferodil, EC-18, and Alvesco', which are currently in clinical trials. On the other hand, an appropriate immune response inhibits viral proliferation and removes cells infected with the virus, and it is reported that some patients with low immunity are vulnerable to virus penetration. In this case, immunity enhancing agents that increase autoimmunity can help prevent or recover from disease progression, and 'GX-I7' is currently approved for a clinical trial plan based on this mechanism. Antiviral drugs such as Ivermectin, Camostat, and Interferon, and immunomodulatory drugs such as Dexamethasone, Tocilizumab, and Sarilumab are being developed for the treatment of COVID-19 abroad. An official from the MFDS said, "We will continue to monitor development trends such as clinical trials of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, and based on this, we can provide support for items required for domestic introduction, special imports, etc., and we plan to do our best to guarantee the treatment opportunities for our people."
