GC Pharma Corp. is speeding up clinical trials of its investigational blood plasma therapy for COVID-19 treatment in Korea, while exploring the efficacy of other immune globulin products overseas through an international research partnership.

According to industry sources on Monday, GC Pharma’s Phase 2 trial of GC5131 will be open to its first patient this week in Korea, about a month after IND approval was given on Aug. 20. Patients will be enrolled at six Korean hospitals: Samsung Medical Center, Asan Medical Center, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Chungnam National University Hospital, and Severance Hospital.

GC Pharma shares ended Monday 253,500 won ($219), unchanged from the previous session.

GC Pharma is also involved in a Phase 3 study through CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, an international research partnership which also includes BPL, CSL, Takeda, Biotest and Octapharma. The Phase 3 study will be led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), under the U.S. National Institutes of Health. In the trial, immune globulin products will be injected to 500 COVID-19 patients in the United States, Argentina, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. Those immune globulin products were developed in the same way as the blood plasma therapy of GC Pharma, but their source of blood is different. This means potential success in overseas trials will positively affect the ongoing trial in Korea. The commercial supply to Korean patients however will be determined after GC Pharma’s trials in Korea.

By Seo Jin-woo and Minu Kim

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