Ildong Pharmaceutical said that it would exclusively promote and market GSK’s Relenza (Ingredient: zanamivir), an influenza treatment, to local hospitals and clinics.

Ildong Pharmaceutical CEO Yun Woong-sup (right) and GSK Korea CEO Julien Samson signed an agreement for Ildong to market GSK’s influenza treatment Relenza, at Ildong headquarters in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

Relenza treats and prevents influenza A and B virus infections. The drug has a pharmacological mechanism, which inhibits the influenza virus replication and proliferation by hindering the activity of neuraminidase, an enzyme necessary for viral replication.

Clinical studies of people with influenza type A virus showed that 50 percent of patients receiving the drug showed improvement in fever symptoms within 24 hours, while 88 percent of the patients did not need additional medication after five days of treatment.

“Until now, Relenza has been supplied as a national stockpiling drug mainly through bidding, but the company expects that the agreement will expand the drug’s marketing and sales volume,” a company official said.

Ildong Pharmaceutical CEO Yun Woong-sup also said, “We are pleased to partner with GSK, a global pharmaceutical company, for its superior drug. The company hopes to achieve good results through communication and cooperation.”

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