GC Pharma said Monday that it has begun injecting convalescent plasma, GC5131A, to Covid-19 patients in domestic phase 2 clinical trials, and will soon participate in a global phase 3 studies.

Convalescent plasma therapy uses blood from people who have recovered from Covid-19.

According to the company, six medical institutions, including Samsung Medical Center and Severance Hospital, are taking steps for administering the plasma therapy. The study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of GC5131A and find the appropriate dose with 60 high-risk elderly patients who have pneumonia or underlying diseases.

For the global study, the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, a partnership of the world’s leading plasma companies, including BPL, CSL Behring, LFB, Octapharma, Takeda, and GC Pharma, will begin phase 3 trials of plasma therapy within this month. 

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institute of Health will lead the phase 3 study and administer the plasma therapy to 500 patients in the U.S., Argentine, Denmark, and the U.K.

The convalescent plasma therapies used in the domestic phase 2 and global phase 3 study are immunoglobulin drugs developed in the same way. The only difference is the source of obtained plasma.

“We need continued donation and interest from fully cured patients for the production of additional doses,” said Kim Jin, head of GC Pharma’s Medical Division. “GC will try to present valuable results as it is a treatment made by the public’s contribution.”

A total of 2,728 fully recovered people have decided to donate their blood, and the company has received plasma from 2,007 so far, and official of GC Pharma said.