Korean pharmas racing for first-in-class title in Korea

Han Jae-beom and Minu Kim 2022. 7. 4. 14:00
글자크기 설정 파란원을 좌우로 움직이시면 글자크기가 변경 됩니다.

이 글자크기로 변경됩니다.

(예시) 가장 빠른 뉴스가 있고 다양한 정보, 쌍방향 소통이 숨쉬는 다음뉴스를 만나보세요. 다음뉴스는 국내외 주요이슈와 실시간 속보, 문화생활 및 다양한 분야의 뉴스를 입체적으로 전달하고 있습니다.

Both established and emerging pharmaceutical companies in Korea are exploring first-in-class medications that use a new and unique mechanism of action for treating challenging disorders.

According to sources on Sunday, Daewoong Pharmaceutical received FDA approval for IND application for Phase 2 study of its pulmonary fibrosis drug DWN12088 on June 17. The company is developing the industry¡¯s first therapeutic agent with a new mechanism of action to inhibit the production of PRS protein. Reducing PRS activation suppresses the excessive production of collagen, which is the cause of pulmonary fibrosis.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical is conducting Phase 2 clinical trials of LAPSTriple Agonist, a candidate for a triple-acting first-in-class nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) drug that simultaneously activates glucagon, which increases energy metabolism, GLP-1 that promotes insulin secretion and suppresses appetite, and GIP receptors that regulate adipose inflammation. The trials are underway in Korea and in the United States. The drug was granted fast track designation from the FDA in 2020 to expedite the drug development for NASH treatment. In 2021, it received orphan drug designation for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

JW Pharmaceutical is also looking for a breakthrough with new atopic dermatitis drug JW1601 that targets histamine H4 receptor (H4R).

Bridge Biotherapeutics is a Korean biotech startup dedicated to clinical trials of fourth-generation non-small cell lung cancer drug BBT-176, which inhibits gene mutation to maximize treatment benefits in lung cancer patients. Tagrisso is commonly used to treat lung cancer, but some patients develop resistance to the drug due to C797S gene mutation.

Chong Kun Dang is developing CKD-510, a novel therapy to treat Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) disease, a rare hereditary disorder where the peripheral nerves are affected, resulting in muscle weakness and atrophy. There is no proven cure for this disease.

Medical research has advanced with a growing number of clinical trials for novel therapeutics in Korea, but no single company has won the title to date.

[¨Ï Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]

Copyright © 매일경제 & mk.co.kr. 무단 전재, 재배포 및 AI학습 이용 금지

이 기사에 대해 어떻게 생각하시나요?