By Jung Min-ho
Green Cross Corp., Korea’s sole vaccine manufacturer, took another big step toward becoming a global player in the industry after its development of cell-based quadrivalent flu vaccine was given the green light for phase 2 clinical trials this month.
According to the company on Thursday, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has approved clinical trials to evaluate the vaccines’ safety, tolerance and immunogenicity.
The company plans to put the vaccine on the market within two years. Its phase 3 clinical trials, a final stage before commercialization, are expected to begin sometime next year, a Green Cross PR official noted.
The main benefit of the cell-based flu vaccine is its ability to produce vaccine supplies quickly, which is especially useful for urgent situations like an impending pandemic. Another advantage is the avoidance of egg-based allergy reactions.
The quadrivalent flu vaccine is designed to protect against four different flu viruses; two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses.
For years, flu vaccines were designed to protect against only three different flu viruses, including an influenza A H1N1 virus, an influenza A H3N2 virus and one B virus.
Green Cross has already begun phase 2 clinical trials of the egg-based quadrivalent flu vaccine.
“The development is important for increasing our market share in the global market,” Ahn Dong-ho, director of the company’s research center, said.
Green Cross reached 28 billion won ($27 million) in exports of its flu vaccines last year. The company has seen a fivefold increase in the exports since 2010.