LifeStyle

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  SK Bioscience's vaccine candidate allowed to go ahead with third-stage clinical trials SEOUL -- A COVID-19 vaccine candidate codenamed GBP510 being developed by SK Bioscience was allowed to go ahead with third-stage clinical trials that will be carried out simultaneously in South Korea, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. GBP510 is South Korea's first vaccine candidate to receive state permission for Phase 3 clinical trials and the second in the world to demonstrate its effectiveness in comparison with licensed vaccines, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said 2021-08-10
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  President Moon designates vaccine as strategic industry to receive full government support SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in designated vaccines as a strategic industry along with semiconductors and batteries, saying South Korea would become one of the world's top five vaccine hubs with an injection of some 2.2 trillion won ($1.92 billion) by 2025. Moon emphasized the importance of securing vaccine sovereignty through the quick development of homemade vaccines and said that domestic vaccine companies will be able to conduct phase 3 clinical trials in August and commerc 2021-08-05
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  Celltrion ties up with U.S. biotech company TriLink to develop new mRNA vaccine platform SEOUL -- Celltrion, a South Korean biotech company known for the world's third COVID-19 antibody treatment, has tied up with TriLink BioTechnologies, a U.S. biotech company that provides gene therapy services to researchers, to develop a next-generation messenger RNA vaccine platform that can be applied to coronavirus variants. The San Diego-based company is a contract development & manufacturing organization (CDMO) helping life science leaders and innovators overcome chal 2021-08-04
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  Kakao's new webtoon service makes successful debut with dynamic teaser videos SEOUL -- A new webtoon service launched by Kakao Entertainment, a content and entertainment subsidiary of South Korea's web service company, made its successful debut in the domestic market, drawing attention by introducing dynamic teaser videos instead of thumbnails which are reduced-size versions of pictures or videos. Since its launch in South Korea on August 1, Kakao Webtoon achieved a turnover of one billion won ($871,339) in two days and positioned itself high in the top 2021-08-03
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  Medipost's clinical trial approved to evaluate efficacy of knee osteoarthritis treatment SEOUL -- Medipost, a South Korean biotech firm know for stem cell-based treatment, has applied for state approval to go ahead with phase 2 clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its next-generation intra-articular Injectable treatment and prevention of knee osteoarthritis, code-named "SMUP-IA-01" Medipost's SMUP-Cell platform technology for developing next-generation cell therapy products enables the selection of small-sized highly-efficient stem cell 2021-07-30
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  [INTERVIEW] Pharmaceutical industry wants full government support to enhance international competitiveness SEOUL -- A COVID-19 pandemic has activated the consignment production of vaccines developed by multinational pharmaceutical companies in South Korea, elevating the status of domestic pharmaceutical and bio companies that have exhausted efforts over the past decade to innovate quality and develop new drugs, becoming a crucial industry like automobiles and semiconductors. The domestic pharmaceutical market has seen steady growth, promoting itself as a social safety net that enables a 2021-07-28
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  American toddler music entertainer loses legal battle against Korean Baby Shark video SEOUL -- Johnny Only, an American toddler music entertainer known for his rendition of "Baby Shark," lost a legal suit against a Korean YouTube video containing the same song that went viral worldwide, after a South Korean court ruled that children's songs handed down by oral tradition are not copyrighted. Only filed a suit seeking damage compensation in March 2019, accusing South Korea's education and entertainment company, SmartStudy, which owns "Baby Shark& 2021-07-23
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  Hyundai Steel works on method to recycle shellfish and oyster shell for furnace SEOUL -- Hyundai Steel, affiliated with South Korea's Hyundai auto group, is in the final phase of introducing a method to recycle shellfish and oyster shells that have been an environmental issue due to a huge accumulation of waste mainly along the southern coast. South Korea is one of Asia's biggest oyster farming countries. Adding limestone in the process of sintering iron ore for furnace injection can improve productivity and reduce fuel costs. Hyundai Steel has launche 2021-07-20
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  Researchers use advanced virtual screening to select three candidates for COVID-19 therapy SEOUL -- Through advanced computer-based virtual screening, researchers have selected three candidates for preclinical trials to see if they can be used for the treatment of patients infected with a new coronavirus. The three including omipalisib showed antiviral activity in human lung cells, but additional preclinical tests are required to find their optimal drug concentration and minimize toxicity. For drug repurposing, which is a tangible strategy for developing antiviral agents 2021-07-08
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  Researchers prove mud flat's ability to capture carbon SEOUL -- Blue carbon is the term for carbon captured by ocean and coastal ecosystems. Seagrasses, mangroves, and salt marshes capture carbon, acting as a carbon sink. Most of the carbon taken up by these coastal ecosystems is stored below ground. Protecting and restoring coastal habitats is a good way to reduce climate change. A research team led by Khim Jong-seong, a professor in Seoul National University's school of earth and environmental sciences, found that tidal flats in t 2021-07-06
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  Shin Poong expands clinical study to test malaria drug for COVID-19 treatment SEOUL -- A South Korean pharmaceutical firm specializing in remedy drugs will push ahead with an expanded study to evaluate the effectiveness of Pyramax, a fixed-dose combination medication for the treatment of malaria, although it did not show any statistical significance at second-stage clinical trials as a candidate to treat patients infected with a new coronavirus. Pyramax, produced by Shin Poong Pharm, is on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines. The m 2021-07-06
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  Disinfection robots with ultraviolet-C germicidal lamps to be deployed at airport SEOUL -- As part of a campaign to stop the spread of COVID-19, autonomous disinfection robots installed with ultraviolet-C "germicidal" lamps will be deployed along the route of travelers from entry gates to quarantine stations at Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, along with quarantine guide robots. Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation is a known disinfectant for air, water and surfaces that can help mitigate the risk of acquiring an infection. The w 2021-07-05
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  S. Korea launches consortium to develop next-generation mRNA vaccine platform SEOUL -- South Korea launched a special government-sponsored consortium to develop a next-generation messenger RNA vaccine platform amid growing public disappointment over the delayed launch of homemade COVID-19 vaccines. The consortium aims to develop a new vaccine capable of preventing infections by coronavirus variants. The K-mRNA consortium, launched in a ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Health Welfare on June 29, involves three drug makers -- Hanmi Pharmaceutical, GC Pharma a 2021-06-29
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  ToolGen seals technology transfer deal with Australian partner on gene therapy SEOUL -- ToolGen, a South Korean developer of genome editing technology, has a technology transfer deal with Cartherics Pty, a biotech startup in Australia, for the development of next-generation gene therapy using third-generation genetic scissors to cut out genetic information in cells. The Australian company aims to carry out first-stage clinical trials for ovarian cancer in the United States in 2022. Toolgen said it would receive a certain stake in Cartherics as a down payment 2021-06-28
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  Genexine develops hybrid technology for COVID-19 vaccine SEOUL -- Genexine, a clinical-stage biotechnology company in South Korea, joined hands with a domestic partner to develop hybrid vaccine technology that complements the shortcomings of DNA and messenger RNA vaccines which are in use worldwide to curb the spread of COVID-19. The novel coronavirus is studded with proteins that it uses to enter human cells. Spike proteins make a tempting target for potential vaccines and treatments. DNA vaccines transfect a specific antigen-coding DN 2021-06-25
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  Clinical trails approved to check efficacy of Korean blackberry for cancer treatment SEOUL -- An Oriental medicine research center in South Korea has won state approval to go ahead with clinical trials to demonstrate the efficacy of KIOM-ICI-1, a drug candidate for immuno-cancer treatment using substances extracted from rubus coreanus, a species of raspberry native to East Asian countries. Rubus coreanus, or known as Korean blackberry, produces edible berries that are fermented into fruit wine which has been taken to prevent problems associated with disturbed liver 2021-06-23
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  Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine wins state approval in S. Korea SEOUL -- South Korean state regulators have approved the use of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by U.S. biotech company Moderna, saying there was no major safety problem as a result of reviewing safety and effectiveness. Moderna has agreed to ship vaccine doses for 20 million people. Moderna became the fourth company to sell COVID-19 vaccines in South Korea after AstraZeneca PLC, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. GC Pharma, a b 2021-05-21
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  Researchers use electrostatic spray technology to remove viruses and fine dust floating in the air SEOUL -- A state research institute has successfully demonstrated the performance of air purifiers using electrostatic spray technology and high voltage to generate hydrogen peroxide and ozone water that can remove germs and viruses floating in the air. Unlike conventional air purifiers, filters were not used in a method that can dramatically lower maintenance costs. Electrostatic spray technology is a new way to apply cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants. Electrostatic sprayers 2021-05-04
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  SK Telecom teams up with major hospital to develop AI video diagnostic assistance solution SEOUL -- A major hospital in South Korea will work with SK Telecom to develop a video diagnostic assistance solution using artificial intelligence that would reduce the burden on medical staff by diagnosing disease conditions more quickly and accurately and allow patients to receive faster treatment. The Catholic Medical Center (CMC) with 6,300 beds in eight hospitals will provide high-quality medical big data and verify the solution to improve completeness for commercialization. 2021-04-30
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  Genome information of some 10,000 people decoded in UNIST-led project SEOUL -- A five-year project led by a research institute in the southern city of Ulsan to collect and decrypt genome information of some 10,000 people has been completed for precise genetic disease analysis. The project is aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of South Korea's bio-industry by building decoded genome information as key public data. The project involving hospitals and university research teams began in 2016, led by the Ulsan National Institute of Science and 2021-04-26