[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] HK Innoen has decided to expand and develop the indication of its existing smallpox vaccine for the prevention of monkeypox.
On the 23rd, HK Innoen made this decision, stating, "This decision is based on reports that the smallpox vaccine shows about 85% preventive effectiveness against monkeypox," and added, "We are preparing clinical trials to broaden the vaccine's application scope and as a measure to prepare for its domestic influx."
HK Innoen is the only company producing smallpox vaccines in South Korea. Since 2009, HK Innoen has been supplying the second-generation smallpox vaccine, approved for counter-terrorism use, to the government.
The decision by HK Innoen came as the smallpox vaccine is known to be effective in preventing monkeypox, a rare infectious disease. Monkeypox has been known as an endemic disease limited to parts of Central and West Africa but has recently been spreading worldwide, including Europe and North America.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, citing the World Health Organization (WHO), reported that the recent fatality rate of monkeypox is 3-6%. The transmission rate is not high, and it is known that the virus spreads mainly through contact with the skin or blisters of infected individuals rather than through respiratory routes, entering the body through wounds.
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