GC Wellbeing said Friday that a joint study with Chungbuk National University College of Medicine found that human placental extract Laennec has an antiviral effect against the Covid-19’s Delta and Omicron variants.

The company infected Vero cells, African green monkey kidney cells, with the Delta and Omicron variants and administered Laennec in the study. It then observed a significant reduction in the cytopathic effect caused by the variant virus infections.

GC Wellbeing is conducting a clinical trial to compare and evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous administration of Laennec for hospitalized patients with moderate to severe Covid-19.

Clinical trials are underway at Kyungpook National University Hospital and Inha University Hospital, and the company is focusing on adding clinical institutions and recruiting patients for the trial.

"We confirmed that Laennec's antiviral efficacy applies to the Delta and Omicron variants, just like the early Covid-19 virus," a GC Wellbeing official said. "We will complete the ongoing phase 2a clinical trial."

GC Wellbeing's Laennec is the only placental extract drug in Korea that has obtained marketing approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.