Opdivo (nivolumab), anti-PD-1 immunotherapy co-developed by Ono Pharmaceutical and BMS, added five indications for esophageal/gastroesophageal junction cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, renal cell cancer, and lung cancer in Korea.On Monday, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety granted addit
The spread of the seasonal flu virus has shown a hiatus over the past two years, as people wear face masks and maintain social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.However, suppose the government eases these restrictions from the second half of this year. In that case, the novel coronavirus may c
The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) said the Ministry of Health and Welfare had been named it to operate “2022 Global Bio-Intensive Training Courses,” a Korean government program.IVI will provide workforce training in vaccine and biologics R&D and manufacturing for people from low- and middle-
With the presidential election less than three weeks away, various health- and medicine-related groups, such as doctors, nurses, nursing aides, and patients, declared their support to major candidates.On Tuesday, 309 doctors from South Gyeongsang Provincial Medical Association voiced their support f
Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies are introducing a new standard for a compliance management system, ISO 37301, to enhance internal monitoring and prepare for ethical management of ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance).Their move came mainly after the embezzlement case earl
Kukje Pharma said Thursday it rolled out Kukje Hyal Inj. (ingredient: sodium hyaluronate), treatment for knee arthritis and frozen shoulder.The treatment comes in a pre-filled syringe, administered to the intra-knee joint or shoulder joint for five consecutive weeks.The company said the product has
The government will “not obligate but encourage” students to undergo Covid-19 tests for in-person classes, its top education policymaker said.Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye said so while revealing the ministry’s plan to provide 60.5 million self-test kits to kindergartners and students and teachers
Korea’s new virus cases rose steeply to break the 90,000 mark for the first time on Wednesday, triggering heated debate over the government’s decision to ease social distancing curbs later this week.The country reported 90,443 new Covid-19 infections, including 90,281 local cases, raising the total
Pfizer, which dominated the global pneumococcal vaccine market with 13-valent Prevnar 13, said it won approval for a 20-valent vaccine in Europe.On Tuesday, the European Medicines Agency authorized the use of Apexxnar (brand name in the U.S.: Prevnar 20) for immunization and prevention of invasive d
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety authorized two more Covid-19 self-test kits, bringing the total number of home test kits to eight in Korea.On Tuesday, the MFDS said it granted the permit to Median Diagnostics’ MDx COVID-19 Ag Home Test and Osang Healthcare’s GeneFinder COVID-19 Ag Self Test.The
Janssen’s Rybrevant (ingredient: amivantamab) obtained marketing approval for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations in Korea.On Tuesday, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) approved Rybrevant to treat pati
The Omicron wave will likely reach a tipping point in the first week of March, when the number of daily infections could rise up to 250,000.Jung Jae-hun, a professor of preventive medicine at Gachon University College of Medicine, made the forecast appearing on a live broadcast on Tuesday. The live
Daewoong Pharmaceutical posted a record-high revenue in 2021 on the back of botulinum toxin export to the U.S. and a licensing-out deal over the nation’s 34th drug Fexuclue Tab. (fexuprazan hydrochloride), a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). As a result, operating income jumped 4
The government has prepared to relax regulations on the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), allowing doctors other than psychiatrists to prescribe the drug multiple times as long as a one-time prescription does not exceed 60 days.Welcoming the move, neurologists urged th
The government plans to ease social distancing rules but maintain the vaccine mandate, for the time being, officials said on Tuesday.Health authorities are now gathering opinions from experts in various walks of life to announce a revised quarantine system this Friday, a top quarantine official said
As the Omicron wave approaches its peak in Korea, a report has called for the government to gradually revise the quarantine system according to the characteristics of the new variant.Park Sang-yun, a legislative investigator at the National Assembly Research Service, made these and other points in h
Pfizer has changed the form of Ibrance (palbociclib), a CDK4/6 inhibitor, from capsules to tablets, making it easier for cancer patients to take the medication.The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved Ibrance Tab. 75 mg, 100 mg, and 125 mg on Monday.Ibrance is used as the standard treatment, al
A court dismissed local drugmakers’ appeal to nullify the government’s push to negotiate the recollection of health insurance coverage for choline alfoscerate (CA).The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of the ministry on Friday.The ruling was against 2
SK Bioscience said Monday it signed a deal with the Pan American Health Organization to supply chickenpox vaccine to the Latin American market. It is the first time the company won bidding from PAHO, an international health agency under the United Nations.The Korean vaccine maker said it received PH
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said it found a sole bidder to carry out the national research project to develop an inhaled Covid-19 treatment after opening the bid late last year.Industry watchers pay attention to whether this research will lead to a second homegrown Covid-19 treat