MedicoX Subsidiary Mecox CureMed Begins European Preclinical Trials for COVID-19 Treatment

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Medycox, a subsidiary of the KOSDAQ-listed company Medicox, announced on the 9th that it has entered the European preclinical stage for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment candidate ‘M002-A,’ which is being jointly developed with European new drug development specialist Tube Pharmaceuticals GmbH.

Medico Curemed and Tube Pharmaceuticals had already confirmed the antiviral efficacy of ‘M002-A’ against the COVID-19 virus last June. The company plans to conduct preclinical trials to secure data for full-scale entry into European clinical trials.

This preclinical trial is being conducted using a ferret model at the GLP and BSL3 Lab of the Virus Research Institute at the University of Padua, Italy. The company stated that the preclinical study focuses on various efficacy tests such as ▲dose response ▲antibody formation ▲histology ▲organ damage assessment of ‘M002-A,’ with the main objective of verifying its effect on suppressing inflammation in major organs such as the lungs and kidneys, which are known as target organs for severe morbidity after COVID-19 infection.

The treatment candidate ‘M002-A’ used in this preclinical trial is also known to be the same substance as ‘Bozanics,’ an arthritis treatment currently awaiting clinical trial approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

A company official said, “The efficacy tests with Tube Pharmaceuticals and the Virus Research Institute at the University of Padua aim to secure official experimental data for European clinical trial applications,” adding, “To conduct rapid and intensive experiments in Europe, which is currently facing a secondary pandemic situation, we plan to accelerate clinical trials by collaborating with various institutions in Europe, including the University of Padua and research institutes in Germany.”

The company plans to further accelerate the development of COVID-19 treatments by linking this preclinical process with ongoing projects conducted together with national research institutes.