KH Philux "Bioten, Confirmed Potential for COVID-19 Treatment in Animal Experiments"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] KH Philux announced on the 7th that Bioten, a virus research and development (R&D) company in which it has invested shares, has proven the therapeutic effect of a COVID-19 treatment through animal experiments.

Bioten, located in Cheomsan Science Industrial Complex, Sinjeong-dong, Jeongeup-si, Jeonbuk, in collaboration with Dr. Woo-Song Lee’s team at the Functional Bio-Materials Research Center of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, demonstrated the therapeutic effect of ‘TenCuminS Plus (TSP),’ a food patent material registered with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, in COVID-19 infected animal experiments.

Bioten, which acquired the core technology of the patented food material ‘TenCuminS Plus’ from the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, succeeded in identifying the target point for an oral COVID-19 treatment candidate substance.

According to the research team, administering the candidate substance for four consecutive days to hamsters infected with COVID-19 (severe infection model, 62% lung lesion rate, 1% lung lesion improvement rate) showed a maximum therapeutic effect of 31.2%.

In the severe infection model hamsters, the group administered the candidate substance (water-soluble TenCuminS Plus) showed significant improvement in lung lesions, pulmonary edema, lung congestion, and alveolar walls compared to the virus-infected control group (VC).

The candidate therapeutic substance demonstrated approximately 1000 times superior absorption through pharmacokinetic studies in animal experiments. After distribution, it underwent about four hours of metabolism before being excreted from the body. The preclinical (animal experiment) phase has been completed, and safety as a food material has been secured. Plans are underway to apply for clinical approval as an oral COVID-19 treatment.

The research team stated, "The candidate substance can induce immune enhancement by improving the activity of innate immune cells (NK cells) that can directly or indirectly eliminate immune cells that have ingested the infectious agent in animal experiments, as well as the function of the adaptive immune system mediated by the innate immune system." They added, "It also has strong advantages against mutations."

Kim Young-chul, CEO of Bioten, introduced, "The candidate substance is a material certified as safe with GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the U.S. FDA." He added, "The initial success in preclinical trials is very meaningful." He further stated, "We plan to apply for human clinical trial approval (IND) with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for the formal development of ‘TenCuminS Plus’ as a therapeutic drug."

Han Woo-geun, CEO of KH Philux, expressed, "Bioten has completed preclinical (animal) experiments," and added, "We believe that the bio business promoted by KH Philux and Bioten’s COVID-19 treatment can create a synergistic effect."

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