EsMec Records Consecutive Two-Day Limit-Up, Currently Down Over 5%
[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] As it became known that the 'plasma therapy' method is effective for patients with the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the stock prices of related companies such as Esmac and Lemon, which had surged, are now entering a downward trend.
As of 10:40 a.m. on the 9th, Esmac was trading at 1,840 won, down 5.40% from the previous day. This contrasts with the atmosphere of a sharp rise from 1,240 won to 1,945 won in two days after hitting the upper limit price consecutively on the 7th and 8th. Lemon, which had risen by 29.75% on the 7th and 28.18% (based on the highest price) on the 8th, is now holding at 17,700 won, down 5.85% from the previous day.
All of these stocks were grouped as plasma therapy-related stocks and their prices rose steeply. Esmac attracted attention as its subsidiary Dynona is known to possess technology that extracts coronavirus-blocking antibodies from plasma. Lemon has research and development achievements in plasma separation membranes. Recently, when Yonsei University Severance Hospital published a research paper detailing the cure of COVID-19 patients using plasma therapy, the quarantine authorities immediately announced that they would issue related guidelines, drawing attention to companies involved in plasma therapy.
Earlier, on the 7th, a research team led by Professors Junyong Choi and Shinyoung Kim at Yonsei University Severance Hospital published a research paper in the international academic journal ‘JKMS’ reporting that plasma therapy was greatly helpful for two patients with severe pneumonia accompanied by acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by COVID-19 infection. Among the two patients, a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s, one has been declared fully recovered and already discharged. Accordingly, Kwon Junwook, Deputy Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, stated at a regular briefing on the 7th, "We are currently receiving expert review in writing regarding plasma therapy guidelines and will finalize the guidelines within a few days."
Plasma therapy is a treatment method that administers plasma from patients recovering from an infectious disease to other patients. It neutralizes the virus with immune antibodies generated in the blood of recovering patients. It was also used during the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in 2015.
With expectations that plasma therapy could contribute to ending COVID-19, the overall market sentiment has also turned positive. On the 7th, the KOSPI closed in the 1800 range for the first time since the 12th of last month. Since then, the KOSPI index has maintained the 1800 level for three consecutive trading days. The KOSDAQ also closed at 606.90 on the 7th and has maintained the 600 level since then.
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