LG Life Sciences succeeds in international clinical trials

LG Life Sciences’s Eupenta

By Bahk Eun-ji

LG Life Sciences has successfully finished Phase 3 of international clinical trials of Eupenta, the company’s first five-in-one liquid vaccine, the company said Thursday.

It said that Eupenta can prevent five childhood diseases ― diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and meningitis ― with a single injection. The diseases have high death rates in children under the age of 5.

Only six companies in the world have World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualifications due to the high entry barriers, such as the levels of difficulty in manufacturing technology, qualified raw materials and difficult manufacturing processes.

LG Life Sciences said the product proved its superior seroprotection rate and safety in a Phase 3 clinical trial with 600 children conducted in the Philippines last year.

Unlike the existing five-in-one vaccine in the powder form, it is contained in a vial. It is therefore easier to produce, distribute, and ensure quality, making its use more convenient, the company said.

The company plans to obtain WHO pre-qualification for Eupenta in the second half of this year.

It aims to participate in an annual 400 billion won international tender of the U.N.-affiliated organization for five-in-one combined vaccines, and supply more than 25 percent of the products in the future.

LG Life Sciences will also focus on export expansion to the Middle East, Asia and South America.