Ildong Signs Domestic Import Agreement for Oral COVID-19 Treatment 'Jokova'

Ildong Pharmaceutical Headquarters Exterior View

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] Ildong Pharmaceutical announced on the 16th that it has signed a primary contract with Ping An-Shionogi Hong Kong to pursue approval for the oral COVID-19 treatment new drug "Zokova" (development name S-217622) in South Korea.

Ping An-Shionogi Hong Kong is a joint venture established in 2020 by Shionogi Hong Kong and Tutum Japan Healthcare, a subsidiary of China's Ping An Insurance. The company focuses on capital investment, intellectual property management, and product supply businesses in Asian countries including China. It holds exclusive development and commercialization rights for Zokova in Asia, excluding Japan.

Under this contract, Ildong Pharmaceutical has obtained negotiation rights for the approval of Zokova in South Korea. It plans to independently pursue obtaining the necessary approvals for domestic use and cooperate with government authorities. The contract also includes provisions regarding technology transfer necessary for domestic production of Zokova. Ildong Pharmaceutical will additionally sign a secondary contract to specify matters related to commercialization in the future.

Zokova is an oral antiviral drug taken once daily for five days. It selectively inhibits the 3CL protease, preventing the replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Clinical trials have confirmed its antiviral efficacy, safety, and tolerability. Notably, during the phase 2b secondary endpoint of the phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, administration and follow-up results showed significant improvement in respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, runny nose and nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. Furthermore, a post hoc analysis of the trial indicated similar levels of effectiveness against the five characteristic symptoms of Omicron COVID-19 variant infection: fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.

Last November, Ildong Pharmaceutical signed a joint development agreement for Zokova with Shionogi and has been conducting development activities including clinical trials in South Korea. The phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of S-217622 in Asia, including South Korea, are in the final stages, with Ildong Pharmaceutical and Shionogi focusing on producing results to obtain rapid use approval.