15 Korean pharmas, 4 state institutes research coronavirus

South Korea’s state-run research institutes and pharmaceutical firms are working hard to find a cure for the new coronavirus, according to news reports Monday.

Around 15 firms and four institutes here are burning the midnight oil to get an effective cure, according to Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association.

KPBMA Chairman Won Hee-mok emphasized the synergies between private and public research bodies in yielding a faster outcome.

The association identified Korean companies working on vaccines -- including SK Bioscience, GC Pharma, Boryung Biopharma, Sumagen and G+FLAS Life Sciences.

Those working on treatments include Celltrion, Korea United Pharm, Cellivery Therapeutics, Novacell Technology, ImmuneMed, Eutilex, Genomictree, Kainos Medicine, Komipharm and GemVax & Kael Bio.

From the aforementioned, SK Bioscience, GC Pharma and Celltrion have all applied for the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-led project to find monoclonal antibody candidate for COVID-19 treatment.

State-run institutions who are participating in the endeavor include National Institute of Health, Ministry of Science and ICT, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology and Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology.
 

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)