[Featured Stock] Vivozon Healthcare, Leader in Non-Opioid Painkillers... Accompanying Interest Amid Helixmith Surge

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] Vibozone Healthcare is showing strong performance. Helixmith surged to the price limit, indicating growing interest in painkiller development companies.

As of 2:20 PM on the 8th, Vibozone Healthcare is trading at 1,830 KRW, up 9.25% from the previous day.

Vibozone, which is developing a non-narcotic painkiller, is preparing to undertake domestic Phase 3 clinical trials. The Phase 3 trials are expected to be completed as early as this year or by next year at the latest. Attention is focused on whether the first non-narcotic painkiller in Korea will be developed. Vibozone will begin patient dosing for the domestic Phase 3 clinical trial of Opiranserin, a non-narcotic painkiller under development, within this month.

In February, Vibozone received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for domestic Phase 3 clinical trials. The trials will be conducted at four major hospitals?Seoul National University Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, and Asan Medical Center?targeting 300 patients undergoing colectomy. After review by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the first patient dosing is expected to begin in June. If patient recruitment proceeds quickly, the clinical trial progress is also expected to accelerate.

Vibozone is developing a non-narcotic painkiller that can replace opioid narcotic analgesics. It is the fastest among domestic companies. Currently, companies such as iN Therapeutics (Australia Phase 1), Olipass (244460) (Australia Phase 2), Mediforum (domestic Phase 2), and YD Life Science (candidate discovery) are also developing non-narcotic painkillers. Vibozone is the only company that has entered Phase 3 clinical trials among domestic and international trials. Vibozone Healthcare acquired exclusive rights in Korea for Opiranserin injection from Vibozone in October last year and is conducting domestic clinical trials.

Vibozone experienced a setback in the US Phase 3 clinical trial. While attempting to push forward with trials in the US again, the COVID-19 impact made it difficult, drawing attention to the success of the domestic Phase 3 clinical trial. As Vibozone’s stock price recently rebounded in the over-the-counter market K-OTC, its affiliate Vibozone Healthcare is also gaining attention.

Just as Helixmith’s stock price fluctuates with news related to its major pipeline clinical trials, Vibozone and Vibozone Healthcare’s stock prices have moved similarly. After hitting bottom due to disappointment over Opiranserin, they have recently shown signs of rebounding.