Genencell said that it has started administering ES16001, an oral Covid-19 treatment candidate, to patients participating in its global phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. The clinical trial is for male and female patients 19 years or older who have tested positive for Covid-19.

The company has registered Covid-19 patients hospitalized or infected in Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital.

Genencell aims to verify the dose and exploratory efficacy in a placebo-controlled, double-blind manner in about 400 patients in Korea and India during the phase 2 clinical trial. In addition, it plans to observe the improvement of symptoms and severity progress for about a month.

Following the treatment administration at the hospital, the company plans to recruit patients at other clinical institutions, such as Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital of Catholic University and Kyunghee University Hospital.

Apart from recruiting patients, the company said it would continuously investigate infected people in clinical hospitals and register them as patients.

“We plan to complete drug administration for phase 2 clinical trial as early as the third quarter and apply for emergency use approval this year,” a company official said. “However, strategies may vary depending on the global spread and quarantine situation of Covid-19.”

The official added that based on phase 2 clinical trial results, the company could proceed with the distribution rights or technology transfer for the treatment.

ES16001 is a material-based new drug candidate extracted from the leaves of Dampalsu, a plant in Korea, which inhibits the infection and replication of the Covid-19 virus.