GC Pharma, formerly known as Green Cross, said that it has officially launched “Green Cross TD Vaccine,” a tetanus-diphtheria (TD) vaccine for adults developed by a Korean drugmaker for the first time.

The company started supplying the vaccine for medical institutions on Tuesday, after finishing an internal inspection.

The vaccine can prevent tetanus caused by a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium tetani, and diphtheria, a bacterial infection that affects the mucous membranes of the throat and nose. The drug was the first domestically developed TD vaccine to receive sales approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) in November last year.

With the launch of the vaccine, it has become possible to localize adult TD vaccines that depended solely on imports, the company said.

CG’s TD vaccine will be able to replace imported vaccines for 450,000 Koreans per year and help resolve the uncertainties over supply and demand of overseas manufacturers, the company added.

“The localization of basic vaccines such as TD vaccine is meaningful for us, as it promotes the public health rather than profitability,” a GC Pharma official said. “The company hopes to contribute to the stable supply of basic vaccines in the future.”

Koreans are advised to get a TD vaccination every 10 years after receiving an initial vaccination at the age between 10 and 12. The domestic TD vaccine market is estimated to be around 4 billion won ($3.7 million).

The company is also conducting clinical trials on a Tdap vaccine, which additionally vaccinates pertussis, also known as the whooping cough.