[Featured Stock] Donggu Bio Highlights 'Hepatitis C and AIDS' Treatments as Symptomatic Therapy for Wuhan Pneumonia

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] Dongkoo Bio & Pharma is showing strong performance. The news that hepatitis C drugs and HIV treatments used during the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) are being administered to treat the 'Wuhan pneumonia,' which currently has no therapeutic drugs, appears to have influenced the stock price.

As of 9:28 AM on the 29th, Dongkoo Bio & Pharma is trading at 18,000 KRW, up 3.15% from the previous day.

According to the medical industry, Chinese medical staff are administering Lopinavir and Ritonavir, HIV treatment components, to patients with Wuhan pneumonia. These treatments were also used during the 2003 SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and the 2015 MERS outbreaks.

Yesterday, a media outlet reported that domestically approved products containing ribavirin, used in hepatitis C treatment, include Jungheon Pharmaceutical’s 'Jungheon Ribavirin Capsule,' Ilsung Pharmaceutical’s 'Viramid Capsule,' and Dongkoo Bio & Pharma’s 'Trivirine Syrup.'

An industry insider stated, "The combination therapy of 'interferon' and the antiviral drug 'ribavirin,' used for hepatitis C treatment, was also used during MERS," adding, "Since there are currently no treatments or vaccines for the novel coronavirus causing Wuhan pneumonia, antiviral drugs are used symptomatically as supportive therapy."

A financial investment industry official said, "Since efficacy has not yet been confirmed, it is unclear how much impact this will have on pharmaceutical companies' performance," and cautioned, "Recently, Wuhan pneumonia-related stocks have surged abnormally in the domestic stock market, so investors need to be careful."