Mihwa also says "There is a preventive effect"... What about domestic COVID-19 vaccines?

Genexine's 'GX-19,' the first domestic vaccine to enter the clinical phase [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] As interim results showing that the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the German company BioNTech has an efficacy rate of over 90% were announced, attention is also focusing on the status of domestically produced COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 10th, there are currently a total of 21 COVID-19 related clinical trials underway in South Korea, including 19 for treatments and 2 for vaccines. While expectations for the development of treatments by about 10 pharmaceutical companies such as Celltrion, GC Green Cross, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, and Chong Kun Dang are rising for completion within this year, vaccine development is still slower compared to major countries like the United States and China.

Domestic COVID-19 vaccines are being developed by Genexine, GeneOne Life Science, and SK Bioscience. Genexine's 'GX-19', which is the first domestic vaccine to enter the clinical phase, received approval for Phase 1 and 2a clinical trials in June and is currently conducting Phase 1. The company expects to complete Phase 1 by the end of this month.

GeneOne Life Science recently submitted a clinical trial plan to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to conduct Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials simultaneously for its vaccine candidate 'GLS-5310'. SK Bioscience has also applied for trial approval from the Ministry to complete animal testing within this year and start Phase 1 clinical trials.

The government has engaged not only in domestic vaccine development but also in securing vaccines globally. The goal is to secure enough vaccine doses for the entire population, with a priority to secure doses for 30 million people, which corresponds to 60% of the population, enough to form herd immunity.

To secure COVID-19 vaccines for about 10 million people (20% of the population), the government has already completed the participation process in the global vaccine supply organization 'COVAX Facility'. This international organization aims to supply vaccines equitably to countries, and through it, South Korea plans to have a voice in jointly developing vaccines as international public goods and establishing supply order.

For the remaining 40% of the population (about 20 million people), the government is conducting individual negotiations with global pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna to secure vaccines. If excellent vaccine developers emerge in the future, additional negotiation channels will also be activated. A government official explained, "Vaccines to be pre-purchased will be selected after evaluating their efficacy and safety, comprehensively considering supply timing and price."

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