Mankind Pharma ties up with South Korean co for clinical trials of Covid-19 drug

Mankind Pharma on Tuesday said it has collaborated with South Korean firm Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co for conducting phase-I clinical trial of a novel formulation of Niclosamide for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in India.

The trial is designed towards addressing the need for an investigation on this new formulation based on encouraging preclinical evidence for the treatment of Covid-19, Mankind Pharma said in a statement.

"We are excited to collaborate with Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd to bring novel formulation of Niclosamide (DWRX2003) for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in India.

"We believe that the product would provide for a safe and effective alternative to patients suffering from this disease," Mankind Pharma COO Arjun Juneja said.

Both companies have received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct phase-1 clinical trials.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical CEO Sengho Jeon said, "Through development of candidates for Covid-19 treatments such as Nicosamide, which Daewoong Pharmaceutical is currently developing, we expect to provide innovative treatment option for patients suffering from Covid-19."

Mankind Pharma is one of the best partners to accelerate the clinical development and supply of DWRX2003 for India, he added.