Clinical trials to test ten treatment and two vaccine candidates in S. Korea

SEOUL -- Clinical trials are underway in South Korea to test the safety and efficacy of ten treatment and two vaccine candidates. South Korea's health regulatory agency said that five more are under review to see if they are suitable for a national campaign to contain a new coronavirus pandemic. 

Candidates for remedies listed by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety included camostat mesilate, ciclesonide, clevudine, nafamostat mesilate, ifenprodil, EC-18 (synthetic monoacetyldiglyceride), pyronaridine phosphate/Artesunate, and baricitinib sold under the brand name of Olumiant.

The two vaccines are GX-19, a DNA vaccine material developed by Genexine, a clinical-stage biotechnology company in South Korea, and INO-4800 developed by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, an American biotechnology company.

Genexine is involved in joint vaccine research in Indonesia, Thailand and Turkey. South Korea has unveiled a roadmap for the treatment of COVID-19 to develop plasma treatment by the year's end as well as antibody treatment and vaccines next year.