Celltrion readies Covid-19 antibody agent available for 100,000 patients at home

[Photo by Celltrion Inc.]

South Korea’s bio giant Celltrion can roll out its investigational Covid-19 antibody agent upon regulatory approval possibly around early next year, with 100,000 doses secured for domestic treatment at the production cost of under $400 per each, the company’s chairman Seo Jung-jin said on Tuesday.

“We have promised to deliver cure at production cost,” Seo said Tuesday in an interview with a radio program, while mentioning Lilly and Regeneron were charging their respective antibody therapies to the U.S. government for about $3,600 to $4,000 per person.

Celltrion is developing a COVID-19 treatment using antibodies from convalescent plasma and a Phase 2 clinical trial is at a final stage. The company expects to receive conditional approval of the therapy from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety late this year or early next year.

Seo said that Phase 1 data demonstrated the drug’s safety and efficacy, raising expectations for positive results from the Phase 2 trial due a month later.

During pandemic crisis, companies must serve as public assets for the country, Seo said, adding sale price in overseas would be lower than competitors, but won’t be as cheap as offered at home.

He predicted Covid-19 cannot be entirely battled but may last as flu risk. But the world will be able to return to normalcy in the second half of next year, he added.

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