[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] Dongkook Pharmaceutical is embarking on the development of a COVID-19 treatment using antibiotics.
On the 18th, Dongkook Pharmaceutical announced that it confirmed the ability of the antibiotic 'Teicoplanin,' used as a pneumonia treatment, to inhibit the proliferation of the COVID-19 virus, and plans to develop a COVID-19 treatment based on this.
Dongkook Pharmaceutical signed a contract for the "Verification Study of Teicoplanin's Anti-Coronavirus Efficacy" with the Korea University Sejong Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation and the Korea University College of Pharmacy, and has been conducting various studies for the development of an antiviral treatment for COVID-19. The study results confirmed that Teicoplanin blocks cytopathic effects at concentrations below 100μM without exhibiting cytotoxicity.
Teicoplanin is a super antibiotic that can effectively suppress methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), known as "super bacteria" due to resistance to general antibiotics. It is used for pneumonia as well as skin diseases, osteoarticular infections, and urinary tract infections.
Dongkook Pharmaceutical plans to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety next month regarding this matter. The company expects the clinical trial period to be shortened because the administration route and dosage range of Teicoplanin are the same as those previously approved, and safety has been secured.
A Dongkook Pharmaceutical official stated, "Teicoplanin has also been reported to have antiviral efficacy against coronavirus family viruses such as SARS, MERS, and Ebola virus," and emphasized, "We will promptly secure animal efficacy test results and demonstrate effectiveness in domestic clinical trials."
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