LifeStyle

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  Health agency suspends 31 diabetic drugs with metformin due to contamination SEOUL -- Due to contamination with a human carcinogen, 31 diabetic drugs with metformin in domestic circulation were suspended. South Korea's public health agency advised diabetic patients not to panic, saying that there was a very low risk of harm to the human body even if drugs in question were taken. N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a semi-volatile organic chemical that is highly toxic and is a suspected human carcinogen, was detected in excess of the management standards in 2020-05-26
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  National hospital in Busan to establish remote cooperative medical system in Indonesia SEOUL -- A national university hospital will establish a remote cooperative medical system in Indonesia, using Information and communications technology, that would enable South Korean doctors to remotely check the results of basic data and provides diagnosis and directions for treatment. Pusan National University Hospital said that it was selected for a state pilot project sponsored by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. The pro 2020-05-20
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  Samsung Bioepis demonstrates efficacy of first biosimilar for eye disease treatment SEOUL -- Samsung Bioepis, a U.S. and South Korean biopharmaceutical joint venture company, promised to seek a license for the marketing of SB11, a biosimilar candidate referencing Lucentis (ranibizumab), in the United States and Europe saying its efficacy has been demonstrated through final-stage clinical trials. Ranibizumab, developed by Genentech and marketed by Novartis under the brand name Lucentis, is an anti-angiogenic that has been approved to treat the "wet" type 2020-05-18
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  GC Pharma pledges unlimited free supply of immunoglobulin drug for plasma treatment SEOUL -- GC Pharma, a biotech company in South Korea, pledged the unlimited free supply of an immunoglobulin drug based on plasma containing antibodies that neutralize a novel coronavirus, calling for the understanding of shareholders. The company is ready to carry out clinical trials for test production. GC Pharma 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 tre 2020-05-18
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  Bill Gates Foundation to finance research projects by S. Korean companies SEOUL -- Two South Korean companies will receive money from the Bill & Melinda Foundation, casually known as Bill Gates Foundation, for their research projects to develop a coronavirus vaccine or a prediction model on infectious diseases. SK Bioscience said it would receive $3.6 million from Bill Gates Foundation to find candidate materials for the COVID-19 vaccine. The company will coordinate with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) on how to utilize fina 2020-05-18
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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 clinical trials because 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 the design of homogeneous plasma 2020-05-14
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  French partner Sanofi decides to returns rights related to Hanmi's diabetes drug candidate 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 with Sanofi, saying the ruptured deal has nothing to do with the effectiveness and safety o 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 substances such as pyronaridine tetrap 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 treatment. Plasma trea 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 hospital and a trauma 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 depression behavior, th 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 disease teams a 2020-04-22
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  [Coronavirus] Research team warns of COVID-19-related inflammation of heart muscle 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's electrical system, reduce the heart's ability to pump and cause rapid or abnormal heart rhythms. The probability that COVID-19 can cause myocarditis has bee 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. Samsung Bioepis said tha 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 capabilities, accordin 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 airbag system with six pressure sensors built into the chest, back and 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 used by the novel coronavirus to enter cells. M 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 materials in 2021. Vir's current 2020-04-10
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  [Coronavirus] Researchers open new direction to investigate virus' mechanism 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 host cells and replicates RNA containing genetic information. RNA is a polymeric 2020-04-10