[Featured Stock] Hyundai Bio Anticipated to Develop World's First Oral Treatment for Both COVID-19 and Influenza

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] Hyundai Bio is showing strong performance. It appears that expectations are driving the anticipation that the world's first oral antiviral drug capable of treating both COVID-19 and influenza (flu) will be developed by domestic researchers.

As of 9:25 AM on the 1st, Hyundai Bio was trading at 32,500 KRW, up 5.18% (1,600 KRW) compared to the previous trading day.

Hyundai Bio explained that since the initial symptoms of flu, such as fever and cough, are similar to those of COVID-19, it is difficult for medical professionals to distinguish between the two diseases, resulting in a lack of proactive early response. The medical community is requesting an antiviral drug that can be prescribed immediately upon the onset of initial symptoms, whether it is COVID-19 or the flu, similar to Tamiflu used for treating swine flu and flu.

Hyundai Bio announced that when applying for Phase 2 clinical trials of CP-COV03, an oral antiviral drug developed for COVID-19 treatment, they plan to apply to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for both COVID-19 and flu indications and conduct the two clinical trials concurrently.

Hyundai Bio recently informed government authorities of their intention to apply for concurrent COVID-19 and flu clinical trials for CP-COV03 and has requested cooperation from the relevant authorities.

Once CP-COV03 completes Phase 1 clinical trials for COVID-19 treatment, the flu clinical trial will proceed directly to Phase 2 without undergoing Phase 1. If CP-COV03 passes the clinical trials, it will be possible to prescribe CP-COV03 as a proactive measure to patients with similar symptoms, significantly contributing to alleviating concerns about the twindemic caused by the simultaneous outbreak of COVID-19 and flu, as well as resolving medical crises. Additionally, the broad-spectrum efficacy of niclosamide will be further validated.

The main ingredient of CP-COV03, niclosamide, was first identified in a 2012 study at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, to have antiviral effects against the flu, and subsequent international studies have supported this finding. In South Korea, Daewoong Pharmaceutical disclosed animal experiment results last September demonstrating that niclosamide exhibits excellent efficacy against the flu.

With the recent winter season raising concerns about the twindemic, cases of simultaneous infection with flu and COVID-19 have been reported domestically, increasing the need for a treatment applicable to both diseases. The mortality rate for simultaneous infection with COVID-19 and flu is six times higher than that of uninfected individuals and 2.3 times higher than that of COVID-19 patients alone.

The flu has caused several pandemics, including the Spanish flu of 1918-1919, which claimed up to 50 million lives, as well as the Asian flu, Hong Kong flu, and swine flu. Currently, approximately 500,000 people worldwide die from the flu annually.

A Hyundai Bio official stated, “Proactive response is crucial for COVID-19 and flu, which show similar symptoms,” adding, “CP-COV03 will be a safe antiviral drug capable of treating both COVID-19 and flu.”