Five in One
LG Life Sciences (www.lgls.co.kr) has announced that it successfully finished Phase III international clinical trials of Eupenta, which is the company’s first five-in-one liquid vaccine.
Eupenta can prevent five different childhood diseases - diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis b, and meningitis - with a single injection. The diseases have high death rates in children under five.
Only six companies in the world have World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualifications due to the high entry barriers, such as the level of difficulty in manufacturing technology, qualified raw materials, and difficult manufacturing process.
LG Life Sciences said that the product proved its superior seroprotection rate and safety in a phase III clinical trial with 600 children conducted in the Philippines last year.
Also, unlike the existing five-in-one vaccine in the powder form, it is contained in a vial. Therefore, it is easier to produce, distribute, and ensure quality, making its use more convenient.
The company is planning to obtain WHO pre-qualification for Eupenta in the second half of this year. Then, it aims to participate in an annual 400 billion won (US$361.99 million) international tender of the UN-affiliated organization for five-in-one combined vaccines, and supply more than 25 percent of the products in the future. Also, LG Life Sciences will focus on export expansion to the Middle East, Asia, and the South American region.
LG Life Sciences President Jung Il-jae said, “Along with the acquisition of WHO pre-qualification for Eupenta, we will focus resources on our core business and visualize results in the global markets, including the approval of the new diabetes treatment Zemiglo in global emerging markets, and the sale extension of the skin care product Yvoire in the Chinese market.”