Cellm Therapeutics and Pharm Synthes Establish JV... "Full-Scale Joint Development of COVID-19 Treatment"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Cellma Therapeutics (hereinafter Cellma) announced on the 29th that it has signed a joint venture (JV) establishment agreement with the Russian bio company ‘Pharmsynthez’.

The two companies plan to accelerate the development of pharmaceuticals based on ‘Neovir,’ a candidate substance for COVID-19 treatment.

Recently, Cellma announced the antiviral results of Neovir against SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, through joint development with Pharmsynthez.

Neovir is an ‘Interferon’ modulator that induces immune activation to suppress viral replication. It is an intramuscular injection approved for sale by the Russian Ministry of Health in 1995 for patients infected with viruses such as HIV (AIDS), HPV (human papillomavirus), and HBV (hepatitis B).

Virus experts say that inducing immune system activation at the early stage of viral infection is a major primary defense mechanism, and the most important factor is maintaining the role and appropriate concentration of cytokines secreted by innate immune cells, especially interferon. In particular, they emphasize the role of interferon according to the early, middle, and late stages of infection for proper regulation of the immune system for antiviral effects.

Byunghak Yoon, Chairman of Cellma, said, “Neovir will overcome the limitations of existing antiviral treatment efficacy and establish itself as a more fundamental treatment through immune system activation. By combining Russia’s advanced basic science and technology with Korea’s global commercialization technology, we will enter not only the domestic but also the global pharmaceutical market.”

Meanwhile, Cellma, established in 1981 as a domestic bio company, is reorganizing into a group of experts with extensive experience in the bio industry to leap into a global biopharmaceutical company and is strengthening cooperation by forming networks with domestic and international industry experts.

The company is focusing on drug development with major pipelines including antiviral agents, liver disease treatments, and anticancer drugs. It is also promoting business to enter the global market through radiopharmaceuticals and radiation medical devices for anticancer proximity therapy targeting prostate cancer, breast cancer, and liver cancer patients.

Pharmsynthez, established in 1996, is a Russian listed company specializing in pharmaceutical manufacturing. It produces treatments for cancer, gynecological diseases, immunodeficiency, and tuberculosis, supplying them to Russia and CIS countries (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, etc.). Last year, it was recognized as the winner in Russia’s Priority-Pharma (medical products sector) by developing Orgasporin soft capsules and received a grand prize, making it known as a leading pharmaceutical company in Russia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.