Hyundai Bioscience COVID-19 treatment candidate shows efficacy with dexamethasone

South Korean biotechnology firm Hyundai Bioscience Co. said Tuesday that the combination of its oral antiviral candidate and dexamethasone showed high efficacy in treating COVID-19 during animal testings.

The company is currently re-purposing niclosamide-based CP-COV03 as a potential treatment for the COVID-19 virus. The investigative drug's indication also includes influenza.

Citing the result of the latest animal testing, Hyundai Bioscience said use of both CP-COV03 and dexamethasone resulted in efficacy against COVID-19 that is 2.1 times higher than using dexamethasone alone.

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that is used in a wide range of conditions for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects.

"Dexamethasone can come with side effects such as reducing the activity of the immune system. That is why it is important to find a medication that be combined to bring about right anti-viral effect," Jin Keun-woo, a Hyundai Bioscience official, said.

"CP-COV03 will be the best mate for dexamethasone."

To expand the indication, the company has won approval from local drug authorities to conduct phase one clinical trial of CP-COV03 in 18 adult patients.

Currently, Remdesivir, which is developed by Gilead Sciences Inc., and dexamethasone are used to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Other COVID-19 antiviral oral drug candidates currently under development are Pfizer Inc.'s PF-07321332 and Merck's MK-4482. (Yonhap)