Celltrion said that an animal efficacy test for Regkirona, its Covid-19 antibody treatment, showed efficacy in treating the South African beta variants.

In the study, the company injected Regkirona in 50 laboratory mice infected with Covid-19.

Compared to the control group that did not receive any drugs, the company confirmed the clinical improvement effect, including a significant decrease in virus titer and reduced weight loss in the group treated with Regkirona, according to Celltrion.

"We confirmed efficacy even at a dose lower than the clinically applied dose in the previous test on ferrets, confirming the high neutralizing ability of Regkirona," the company said. "Also, in the survival rate evaluation, the survival rate of Regkirona was 100 percent whereas the survival rate of the control group was only 50 percent."

In April, Celltrion conducted an animal efficacy test on Ferret against the South African variant for Regkirona with local and foreign research institutes. The results showed that there was no notable difference in virus-neutralizing ability compared to the wild-type virus.

The company published the results in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, securing objective public confidence in the research results.

Celltrion is conducting animal efficacy tests on the Indian delta, and Brazilian gamma variants following the South African variant and plans to announce the results as early as next month.

"Following the recent announcement of the successful global large-scale phase 3 clinical trial results of Regkirona, the company has also proven that the treatment responds to the South African (beta) variant through an animal efficacy test," a company official said. "If we manage to obtain positive results in animal efficacy tests targeting Indian and Brazilian variants, we expect that it will be helpful in product export negotiations and overseas licenses."