The novel drug pipeline from South Korea remains dried up as financing and R&D plans have been disrupted by COVID-19 outbreak and engagement.

Korea has kept up clinical achievements almost every year since the approval of its first home-grown novel drug - SK Chemicals’ gastric cancer drug Sunpla Injection – in 1999. The pipeline has stayed idle since 30th - CJ HealthCare`s K-Cab Tab., a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease, in 2018.

Of some 600 drug candidates currently being developed by Korean pharmaceutical companies, less than 200 have entered phases 1-3 clinical trials. According to Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association (KPBMA), only 31 candidates are under phase 3 trial, which is the closest to market, with 58 under phase 2 and 84 under phase 1. The others remain preclinical or in vitro.

An official from a local pharmaceutical company, which is in a clinical development program, said the company is urgently trying to raise capital for a phase 3 clinical trial, where necessary expenses are estimated to be four times higher than that of its current phase 2 study, adding its development project will be delayed this year due to low profitability in the pandemic crisis.

According to local industry sources, average clinical development expenses reach 18 billion won ($15.2 million) in phase 1 trial, 48 billion won in phase 2 and 180 billion won in phase 3.

By Seo Jin-woo and Minu Kim

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