LifeStyle

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  Clinical trials to test ten treatment and two vaccine candidates in S. Korea SEOUL -- Clinical trials are underway in South Korea to test the safety and efficacy of ten treatment and two vaccine candidates. South Korea's health regulatory agency said that five more are under review to see if they are suitable for a national campaign to contain a new coronavirus pandemic. Candidates for remedies listed by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety included camostat mesilate, ciclesonide, clevudine, nafamostat mesilate, ifenprodil, EC-18 (synthetic monoacetyldi 2020-07-10
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  S. Korea eases tight regulations on use of propionic acid SEOUL -- South Korea's health regulatory agency eased tight regulations on the use of propionic acid, which is a naturally occurring carboxylic acid and has many important uses because of antibacterial properties. It will be recognized as natural when detected in small amounts. Propionic acid is used as a preservative and flavoring agent in packaged foods because it has antibacterial properties and prevents the growth of various molds. In agriculture and livestock operations, 2020-07-10
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  Celltrion to begin clinical trial soon with candidate for antibody treatment SEOUL -- Celltrion, a South Korean bio firm involved in a project to find the treatment of COVID-19 patients, will begin clinical trials this month with the candidate for antibody treatment that was found to be more effective in neutralizing the mutant strain of the new coronavirus. Celltrion said it would begin clinical trials on July 16. Its goal is to mass-produce therapeutic antibodies in the first half of next year. The Korea National Institute of Health, a state research bod 2020-07-09
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  Daewoong seeks Philippine approval to test tapeworm treatment medicine SEOUL -- Daewoong Pharmaceutical, a major bioengineering company in South Korea, has applied for approval by a Philippine health regulatory agency to test niclosamide (DWRX2003), a tapeworm treatment medicine selected as a candidate for COVID-19 antibody treatment. Daewoong said it has sent an investigational new drug (IND) application to the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines. If approval comes, the company will go ahead with the first-stage clinical trial of DWRX200 2020-07-08
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  Daewoong tests camostat mesilate for treatment of COVID-19 SEOUL -- Camostat mesilate, a potent serine protease inhibitor sold by Daewoong Pharmaceutical under the brand of Foistar, has been approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, a government public health agency, to go ahead with second-stage clinical trials to prove its efficacy in treating COVID-19. In clinical trials, 90 patients with mild or secondary symptoms will be given drugs for up to 14 days to determine the effectiveness of Foistar tablets, which are used to treat to 2020-07-07
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  Daewoong to stage clinical trials of COVID-19 treatment using stem cells SEOUL -- Daewoong Pharmaceutical, a major bioengineering company in South Korea, will carry out the first phase of clinical trials in Indonesia for COVID-19 respiratory symptom treatment using mesenchymal stem cells after drug efficacy tests using animal models have identified anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. If the stability of DWP710 is confirmed in phase 1 clinical trials, Daewoong will go to the next stage of testing in South Korea within this year. Daewoong's join 2020-07-06
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  Telemedicine available for Koreans staying abroad in third quarter SEOUL -- Telemedicine services are available for South Korean staying abroad, especially in overseas construction sites, in the third quarter of this year, thanks to concessions from doctors who have recognized the difficulties of countrymen stranded in countries with poor medical conditions following the death of three workers infected with COVID-19. Dozens of South Korean workers at overseas construction sites have tested positive for COVID-19. Three have died before being transpo 2020-07-06
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  French institute partners with island county for industrial and medical use of marine plants SEOUL -- A French marine biology and oceanography research center joined hands with an island county off South Korea's southwest coast to use marine plants such as kelp and hijiki for the development of functional cosmetics, health functional foods and medicines. The Station biologique de Roscoff (SBR) and Wando County will conduct joint research in the marine bio filed in EUREKA, an intergovernmental organization for pan-European research and development funding and coordinat 2020-07-03
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  Yuhan to co-develop and sell GI Innovation's biologic for treatment of allergic diseases SEOUL -- Yuhan, a pharmaceutical and chemical company in South Korea, signed a contract with GI Innovation, a domestic bio-venture company, to co-develop and sell GI-301 in overseas markets except for Japan. GI-301 is a biologic for the treatment of allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis and chronic idiopathic. Yuhan said in a regulatory filing that the contract amount is 20 billion won ($16.6 million). If Yuhan develops and sells GI-301 directly, it will pay 89 billion won 2020-07-01
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  Turkish company Ilko joins Genexine's COVID-19 vaccine development SEOUL -- Ilko Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical company in Turkey, will work with Genexine, a clinical-stage biotechnology company in South Korea, for the development of GX-19, a DNA vaccine material for COVID-19 that has secured government approval to go ahead with clinical trials. Genexine said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with its Turkish partner, Ilko Pharmaceuticals, on cooperation in global clinical trials of GX-19 and the establishment of overseas licensing a 2020-07-01
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  Quick COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosis using 2-D deep learning framework with CT image SEOUL -- A computed tomography (CT) scan can be used as an important tool to diagnose COVID-19. However, radiologic diagnostic support is not maintained 24 hours in many institutions and CT may show similar imaging features between COVID-19 and other types of pneumonia, hampering correct diagnosis by radiologists. A research team led by Lee Jin-seok, a professor from Wonkwang University College of Medicine, has used an AI technique to diagnose COVID-19 pneumonia in CT images and d 2020-06-30
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  Remsima SC wins approval for additional indications in Europe SEOUL -- Remsima SC, the subcutaneous injection of Remsima, a copy of Janssen Biotech's Remicade treating rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, has secured approval from a European watchdog for additional indications, opening the door for global use. Remicade (Infliximab) biosimilar exist in the form of conventional intravenous injection. The target of Remsima SC is patients who are forced to move on to expensive secondary treatments due to resistance. Instead of an in 2020-06-29
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  S. Korea bans overseas direct purchase of artificial tears SEOUL -- South Korea's public health watchdog took action to stop the sale of artificial tears through overseas direct purchase, citing a relevant law which bans the online distribution of drugs, in accordance with a public petition calling for an aseptic test to see whether such products in circulation were safe. Artificial tears are lubricating eye drops used to relieve dryness and irritation of the ocular surface. Those who wear contact lenses or have undergone eye surgerie 2020-06-29
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  KT teams up with Samsung Medical Center to research MR solutions SEOUL -- Mixed reality (MR) combines virtual reality elements with human vision. Head-mounted devices use clear screens to give users an unobstructed view, but various technologies can be used to project images onto the screen. In the healthcare field, MR can provide new ways of interacting with patients. KT, a top telecom company in South Korea, teamed up with Samsung Medical Center based in Seoul to research MR solutions and new content that could be used to prevent dementia an 2020-06-29
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  Hami's anti-obesity drug approved by FDA for rare pediatric disease program SEOUL -- HM15136, an innovative anti-obesity drug under development by Hanmi Pharmaceutical, a major drugmaker in South Korea, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a rare pediatric disease program. HM15136, a biologic long-acting analog of glucagon, is being developed by Hanmi as a novel drug candidate to treat obesity with a once-weekly injection. The first-stage clinical trial is under way in the U.S to prove the efficacy of HM15136 for the treatment of 2020-06-26
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  GC Lab Cell's American unit attracts $78 mln new investment from venture capitals SEOUL -- Artiva Biotherapeutics, the American unit of South Korea's cell therapy development company GC Lab Cell, has secured a new investment of $78 million from venture capitals to speed up the development of new therapies based on natural killer (NK) cells. GC Lab Cell said in a statement that the Series A investment would be funneled into the development of a next-generation NK cell therapy. NK cells, which are a type of lymphocyte (white blood cell) and a component of the 2020-06-26
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  Alteogen secures new technology export deal with ALT-B4 human hyaluronidase technology SEOUL -- Alteogen, a bio company in South Korea, has secured a new technology export contract with an unnamed global pharmaceutical company with its human hyaluronidase technology called ALT-B4 that can replace intravenous drugs with subcutaneous ones. The front payment is $16 million and Alteogen can get up to $3.86 billion as milestone payment. Hyaluronidases, a family of enzymes that catalyze the degradation of hyaluronic acid, increase tissue permeability. They are used in med 2020-06-25
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  Thai vaccine institute joins Genexine's COVID-19 vaccine development SEOUL -- The National Vaccine Institute (NVI), a Thai public autonomous authority that coordinates vaccine affairs with domestic and international stakeholders, will cooperate with Genexine, a clinical-stage biotechnology company in South Korea, for the development of GX-19, a DNA vaccine material for COVID-19, as well as clinical trials. The memorandum of understanding with NVI came after Genexine secured approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, a public health watchdog 2020-06-19
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  Health watchdog cancels approval for three botox products produced by Medytox SEOUL -- South Korea's public health watchdog canceled approval for three botulinum toxin (botox) products produced by Medytox for fabricating test data. The company was ordered to recall and dispose of the products despite advice from medical experts that safety concerns are "not significant." The decision is effective as of June 25. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety accused Medytox of covering up document manipulation to win state approval with fabricated test r 2020-06-18
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  Celltrion ready to sell antigen diagnostic kit for rapid and accurate COVID-19 screening SEOUL -- Celltrion, a South Korean bio firm involved in the development of anti-body treatment, is ready to roll out a highly sensitive and accurate antigen diagnostic kit that can yield results in 20 minutes. The kit provides both the speed of existing rapid diagnostic kits and the high sensitivity of molecular diagnosis so that COVID-19 patients can be sorted out in the early stages of infection. Celltrion said that it has completed the development of a point-of-care antigen 2020-06-16