LifeStyle

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  Nafamostat selected by researchers as 'most potent' COVID-19 drug candidate SEOUL -- Nafamostat mesylate, a drug used to treat acute pancreatitis, was selected by Institut Pasteur Korea, an infectious disease-focused research institute, as the "most potent" drug candidate in treating COVID-19 patients. Nafamostat, a synthetic serine protease inhibitor, is a short-acting anticoagulant, which also has some antiviral and anti-cancer properties. Researchers were upbeat as the drug can be readily repurposed for COVID19 following clini 2020-05-15
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  British biotech firm Iksuda to receive drug candidate materials from S. Korean partner LegoChem SEOUL -- Iksuda Therapeutics, a British biotech company that develops antibody-drug conjugates, will receive anti-cancer drug candidate materials from LegoChem Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company in South Korea, for the development of blood cancer treatment. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combine the targeting capabilities of monoclonal antibodies with the cancer-killing ability of cytotoxic drugs. LegoChem's proprietary platform enables 2020-05-14
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  French partner Sanofi decides to returns rights related to Hanmi's diabetes drug candidate An image captured from Hanmi Pharmaceutical's website SEOUL -- Hanmi Pharmaceutical, a major drugmaker in South Korea, suffered a setback in its push for the quick commercialization and distribution of a new diabetes drug candidate after Sanofi S.A., a French multinational pharmaceutical company, decided to terminate a 2015 deal without completing a final-stage clinical trial. Hanmi promised to find a new partner after completing consultations 2020-05-14
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  Antimalarial medicine Pyramax approved for coronavirus clinical trials SEOUL -- Pyramax, a fixed-dose combination medication for the treatment of malaria, has been approved for clinical trials in South Korea to compare and evaluate its efficacy and safety in treating patients infected with a new coronavirus. Pyramax, produced by Shin Poong Pharm, a South Korean pharmaceutical firm specializing in remedy drugs, is on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines. The medicine contains the active substance 2020-05-13
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  [Coronavirus] GC Pharma selected for state project to develop plasma treatment SEOUL -- GC Pharma has been selected for a state project to develop an immunoglobulin drug based on plasma containing antibodies that neutralize a novel coronavirus. The biotech company waits for clinical trials after completing preparations for test production. GC Pharma said Monday that it has been selected by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), a state health watchdog, as a preferred bidder for a research task to develop plasma tr 2020-05-04
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  [Coronavirus] Seoul mayor proposes special hospital for infectious disease in downtown area SEOUL -- To cope with a more powerful epidemic, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon proposed the construction of a major state hospital specializing in infectious diseases such as COVID-19 in the center of the densely populated capital, saying South Korea should now take preemptive action to set up a bastion of public health. Park suggested that the aging state-run National Medical Center, established in 1958, should be relocated and built anew with an infectious disease hospita 2020-04-28
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  Researchers use octopus neuromodulator to treat cognitive disorders or depression SEOUL -- Using a neuromodulator discovered from small octopuses which have the most intelligent and complex brain nervous system among invertebrates, South Korean researchers are pushing for the development of new bio drugs or health functional foods for the treatment of cognitive disorders or depression. Experimental mice injected with the neuro control substance discovered in a genetic study on octopuses showed an improved cognitive function and a reduced depre 2020-04-27
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  [Coronaviru] Hydroxychloroquine tested at care hospital to find efficacy as COVID-19 drug SEOUL -- Hydroxychloroquine is a medication used mainly to prevent and treat malaria in areas where malaria remains sensitive to chloroquine. It is among antiviral drugs being studied to treat a novel coronavirus. Medical scientists predict that humanity has a higher chance of developing a COVID-19 drug using different compositions of antiviral drugs. In a bid to find the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), a joint study was conducted by researchers from infectious d 2020-04-22
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  [Coronavirus] Research team warns of COVID-19-related inflammation of heart muscle A file pictures shows Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun inspecting Keimyung University's Dongsan Medical Center in the southeastern city of Daegu. SEOUL -- A hospital research team urged doctors to carefully observe the occurrence of myocarditis when treating patients infected with a novel coronavirus after a 21-year-old woman showed a COVID-19-related inflammation of her heart muscle. Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that can affect the heart&# 2020-04-17
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  Samsung Bioepis' cancer-treating biosimilar Ontruzant is available in U.S. SEOUL -- Ontruzant, a cancer-treating biosimilar referencing Herceptin, is available in the United States, according to Samsung Bioepis, a U.S. and South Korean biopharmaceutical joint venture company. Trastuzumab, sold under the brand name Herceptin, is a monoclonal antibody used to treat breast cancer developed by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche. Samsung Bioepis said Ontruzant is available in both 150 mg single-dose vials and 420 mg multi-dose vials 2020-04-16
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  [Coronavirus] Celltrion selects 14 antibodies with strong capability to neutralize virus SEOUL -- In a joint study with Celltrion, a bio firm involved in the development of preventive vaccines and medicines for the treatment of patients infected with a new coronavirus, a state research institute has selected a group of antibodies that showed strong capabilities to neutralize the virus. Celltrion has selected 38 out of 106 antibodies with high binding antigens to verify their ability to neutralize the virus. Of them, 14 showed strong neutralization 2020-04-13
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  Researchers develop wearable airbag vest to prevent accidental infant suffocation SEOUL -- Some infant deaths are caused by entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation. Accidental suffocation results from airway obstruction causing death from oxygen deprivation and increased carbon dioxide. Autopsy findings and death scenes often reveal possible asphyxiating conditions, such as prone sleep. To prevent suffocation caused by prone sleep, South Korean researchers have developed a vest-type wearable a 2020-04-13
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  [Coronavirus] Mouse models for research in August to verify effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine, medicine SEOUL -- South Korea will supply a large quantity of genetically-engineered mouse models for domestic research in August to verify the effectiveness of vaccines and candidate materials for the treatment of patients infected with a novel coronavirus. The Korea Mouse Phenotyping Center, a government-funded research body, is developing five mouse models that cause lung lesions. It is also creating the "hACE2" protein, a receptor 2020-04-10
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  [Coronavirus] Samsung BioLogics wins deal from Vir Biotechnology to produce candidate material for COVID-19 treatment SEOUL -- Samsung BioLogics, a leading bio company in South Korea, has clinched a deal worth $360 million to produce candidate materials being developed by Vir Biotechnology, an American clinical-stage immunology company, for the treatment of a novel coronavirus. Under a binding letter of intent with Samsung BioLogics, Vir Biotechnology, headquartered in San Francisco, will transfer technology this year for the consignment production of candidate materi 2020-04-10
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  [Coronavirus] Researchers open new direction to investigate virus' mechanism IBS RNA research team head Narry Kim SEOUL -- The transcriptomic architecture of the genome of a novel coronavirus that caused a global pandemic has been unknown. South Korea researchers opened a new direction to investigate the virus' mechanisms by presenting a high-resolution map of its transcriptome. The virus designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has ribonucleic acid (RNA) genes, penetrates hos 2020-04-10
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  [Coronavirus] Health officials propose collection of convalescent plasma at hospitals SEOUL -- For the treatment of serious patients infected with a novel coronavirus, South Korean health authorities proposed the periodic collection of convalescent plasma at hospitals after a hospital research team cured two patients with plasma infusion without any severe adverse effects. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said on Wednesday that hospitals would be allowed to collect convalescent plasma from April 14. KCDC Deputy Director Kwon 2020-04-08
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  [Coronavirus] Researchers localize life-saving medical equipment SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have developed a crucial and expensive piece of life-saving medical equipment called "ECMO" that provides prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to critical patients. The first home-made equipment was successfully applied to the operation of lung transplantation. Critical patients infected with a novel coronavirus have received treatment with artificial respiration and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which is 2020-04-08
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  [Coronavirus] Plasma infusion contributes to complete cure of two serious patients SEOUL -- Convalescent plasma donated by young people was presented as an additional option to treat serious patients infected with a novel coronavirus, a research team at Yonsei University's Severance Hospital said after two patients were cured without any severe adverse effects. Blood plasma is used to treat a wide variety of medical disorders. Because the effectiveness of blood plasma treatment is not yet well-founded, it is mainly used to treat new infectious di 2020-04-07
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  [Coronavirus] Virus contagious from second day of asymptomatic infection in animal experiment SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have verified asymptomatic infections in an animal experiment using ferrets. The transmission of a new coronavirus began from the second day of infection, although ferrets showed no clinical symptoms such as high fever. A joint animal experiment was conducted by Chungbuk National University's College of Medicine and the research institute of the National Medical Center, which found that the novel coronavirus was detected in blood a 2020-04-06
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  [Coronavirus] SK Chemicals provides ciclesonide to medical institutions for clinical research SEOUL -- SK Chemicals, an SK Group unit which produces eco-friendly materials and offers healthcare solutions services, will provide Alvesco, a brand name for ciclesonide used to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis, to 11 medical institutions in South Korea for clinical research to see if it works in treating 141 patients infected with a novel coronavirus. Institut Pasteur Korea, an infectious disease-focused research institute, has said that ciclesonide i 2020-04-03