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- 2026-03-18 10:27:55
- Company
- IQVIA acquires Korean healthcare marketing firm MMK
- by Eo, Yun-Ho May 18, 2021 05:52am
- The healthcare big data company IQVIA has acquired MMK Communications. Industry sources said that IQVIA Korea had completed the merger and acquisition of MMK communications, expanding its business area to digital consulting services. MMK Communications is a company that provides digital detailing services including webinars and call center medication counseling services with nurses. It has been providing customized services in the COVID-19 pandemic during which the need for non-face-to-face communication had been rising. Through the M&A, IQVIA plans to transform into a comprehensive healthcare service provider that offers a wide range of services from Contract Research Organization (CRO) to healthcare data analytics. In 2019, the company had acquired CoreZetta, a firm that analyzes big data provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). After a merger between IMS Health and Quintiles, the company adopted the new name of IQVIA in 2017. Powered by IQVIA CORE, IQVIA provides customized solutions for its clients leveraging the world’s largest curated healthcare information source, advanced analytics, leading technologies, and extensive industry knowledge across diseases, geographies, and scientific methods.
- Company
- 11 companies join the use patent for Entresto
- by Kim, Jin-Gu May 18, 2021 05:51am
- EntrestoWhile Hanmi filed an invalidation trial with Entresto's use patent and composition patent, 11 companies, including Daewoong and Chong Kun Dang, filed for the same judgment. According to the pharmaceutical industry on the 13th, 10 companies including Chong Kun Dang, Yooyoung, Hanlim, Hana, Ahn-gook, Boryung, Yuyu, Genuonesciences, Kolmar, and Samjin filed an invitation trial for Novartis' heart failure drug Entresto patent on the 12th. Daewoong filed a request for the same judgment on the 30th of last month. As a result, a total of 12 companies are challenging Entresto's use patent and composition patent. Analysts say that the fact that Korean companies filed for the validation trial on the same day is related to generic exclusivity. It is intended to meet 'request of first trial', one of the requirements for obtaining generic exclusivity. Under the current regulations, if a particular company claims the same judgment within 14 days of the first trial, it is considered to have achieved the request of first trial requirement. Hanmi filed an invitation trial with generic exclusivity on the 29th of last month. This patent is known to be the most difficult to overcome among the four patents registered as generic exclusivity. Patents registered as generic exclusivity include ▲ use patent and composition patent, which expires in July 2027, ▲ composition patent, which expires in September 2027, ▲composition patent, which expires in November 2028, ▲ and composition patent, which expires in January 2029 etc. Entresto is a heart failure treatment with Valsartan, an ARB-based hypertension treatment, and Sacubitril, another NEP inhibitor. With each patent expired, Novartis conducted a clinical trial by combining the two ingredients and was approved as a treatment for heart failure. 20 companies, including Elyson, filed a passive trial to confirm the scope of their rights on a crystalline patent that expires in September 2027. This includes 12 companies that challenged use patent and composition patent, including Hanmi. If 12 additional companies, including Hanmi, overcome the patent, they can receive generic exclusivity on the assumption that they meet the requirements for applying for the initial item permit and enjoy generic exclusivity for nine months regardless of Elyson's success. The remaining three patents need to be overcome, but they are relatively easy to overcome and are expected to be less burdensome. Since its launch in Korea in October 2017, Entresto's prescription sales have been increasing rapidly. According to UBIST, a pharmaceutical market research firm, Entresto's prescription sales were ₩6.3 billion in 2018, the first year of its release. Last year's sales more than tripled to ₩20.3 billion in two years. Prescription sales in the first quarter of this year are ₩5.8 billion, the highest quarterly prescription amount ever.
- Company
- Negotiations on the drug price of Onivyde have begun
- by Eo, Yun-Ho May 14, 2021 05:50am
- The new pancreatic cancer drug "Onivyde" is in the final stages of listing insurance benefits. According to related industries, Servier Korea has recently entered pharmaceutical negotiations with the NHIS for the registration of Onivyde (Irinotecan HCl) under the order of the MOHW. As a result, attention is being paid to whether a new insurance benefit application drug can be created in the area of pancreatic cancer, which does not have many treatments. Onivyde's application for benefits, which passed the HIRA's Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee on the 8th of last month, was approved. It is a combination of 5-FU/LV and secondary treatment in patients who fail Gemcitabine based primary care. Through a global multi-organ three-phase clinical NAPOLI-1 study, Onivyde significantly improved treatment performance in combination with the existing secondary treatment option 5-FU/LV in patients who failed to receive Gemcitabine-based primary care. Yoo Chang-hoon, a professor of oncology at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, said, "We currently talk a lot about secondary and tertiary drugs with a considerable number of pancreatic cancer patients. Since benefits are not applied, we will also examine whether there is an Indemnity Health Insurance Plan. "Onivyde has global phase 3, Asian data, and Korean RWE, but it's a pity that benefits are not yet applied." Leclaza (Lazertinib), the third-generation epithelial cell growth factor receptor (EGFR) of Yuhan, which passed the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee with Onivyde, is also under drug negotiation. Considering the negotiation deadline, it is expected that the registration of both drugs will be decided between June and July.
- Company
- Will Lipitor Plus be able to continue Lipitor’s legacy?
- by Eo, Yun-Ho May 13, 2021 05:57am
- Whether Viatris Korea, which owns the original atorvastatin ‘Lipitor,’ will be able to perform as well in the ‘ezetimibe’ combination therapy market, is drawing attention. Recently, the use of combination therapy in dyslipidemia patients has become more than a strategic treatment option - it has become a main trend in the market. In line with the trend, Viatris Korea, which has been leading the dyslipidemia treatment market with its ‘Lipitor(atorvastatin), and Jeil Pharmaceutical have jointly launched ‘Lipitor Plus,' a combination drug that contains atorvastatin and ezetimibe. With many combination therapies containing the same substances already in the market, whether Lipitor Plus will be able to continue on the original Lipitor’s legacy remains to be seen. The combination market, which is represented by MSD’s ‘Atozet,' is expected to have over 100 competitors fighting for a share of the pie. Viatris Korea’s strategy is to penetrate the market with the brand power of its Lipitor and by highlighting their use of the original API. In the case of Atozet, the drug is a combination of original ezetimibe and generic atorvastatin. As Lipitor Plus on the other hand uses Lipitor’s original API atorvastatin, these differences will be actively used in the promotion of Lipitor Plus. In addition, Lipitor Plus was approved at a lower price than Atozet under the new tiered pricing system. As a result, Lipitor Plus has a lower price than other therapies despite its use of the original API. An official from Viatris Korea said, “We also improved drug compliance of our patients by reducing the tablet size. For patients with chronic diseases who have to take multiple drugs, this can also work as an edge over other drugs.” An official from the company added, “The release of the combination drug Lipitor Plus in addition to our Lipitor hold significance as it completes our Lipitor lineup that covers both first-line statin therapy and second-line statin+ezetimibe therapy options recommended by major dyslipidemia treatment guidelines in Korea and around the globe.” Viatris Korea is the Korean subsidiary of the Viatris Group that was launched in November 2020 through a merger between Global Pfizer’s business division Upjohn and the global healthcare company Mylan. The company changed its name to Viatris Korea in February.
- Company
- Which company signed the CMO deal? Rumors rampant
- by Kim, Jin-Gu May 13, 2021 05:57am
- Rumors on CMO production of COVID-19 vaccines by domestic companies continue. Rumors are rife on which company would be producing which vaccine. Repeatedly, a specific company is mentioned by some, then the rumor is denied by that company. On the 12th, Samsung Biologics publically announced that the reports that it will produce Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine through a CMO deal are “not true.” Earlier that day, a media had quoted a high-level government official to report that Samsung Biologics will be producing Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine from coming August under a CMO deal. According to the report, Samsung Biologics was revamping production lines at its Incheon Songdo plant to produce up to 1 billion doses of the vaccine per year. Samsung Biologics immediately drew the line. Through a public announcement on clarification of the rumors and reports, the company said that the reports were “not true.” Despite the company’s denial, the rumors have not ceased to exist. After Samsung Biologics publicly denied the report, another media reported that ‘Samsung Biologics is in discussions about producing Pfizer’s vaccine under a CMO deal.’ Only the wording had changed, from ‘signed a CMO deal,’ to ‘discussing a CMO deal,' with its context still intact. Regarding the issue, Pfizer Korea’s position is the same as Samsung Biologic’s. An official from Pfizer Korea said that “(The CMO deal) is not true.” ◆Rumors rife after the government’s announcement of a “domestic CMO producing vaccines in August” The unceasing rumors about COVID-19 vaccine production by domestic companies have been on the increase since the government made the remark of a ‘Korean CMO’s production of COVID-19 vaccines from August.” On the 15th of last month, Young-Ha Baek, head of vaccine procurement at the pan-government vaccine procurement task force, said that “A Korean pharmaceutical company is currently working on a contract manufacturing organization (CMO) deal to produce a COVID-19 vaccine that has been developed abroad. The vaccine will be manufactured in Korea from August.” The remark had aroused a great amount of interest. The report also coincided with Moderna’s announcement of its plan to establish a Korean subsidiary. This immediately brought up several companies as potential candidates. Among the companies, ST Pharm received the most attention. The rumor gained strength as the company had been working to develop an mRNA technology of its own since last year. ST Pharm denied the rumors, however still, this led to an incident where the stock prices of ST Pharm and other mRNA R&D companies surged. The next day, speculations on whether the company and vaccine mentioned by the government were Huons and the Russian vaccine Sputnik V rose as Huons Global announced that it had formed a consortium with Prestige Biopharma, Humedix, etc. and signed a technology transfer deal to produce the global supply of the Sputnik V vaccine. As the rumor spread as if it was an established fact, the government stepped up to correct the rumor. Young-rae Son, director of the Central Disaster Management Headquarters (CDMH) strategy and planning team said, “We cannot disclose which vaccine was commissioned for production, but it is not Sputnik V.” On April 16th, Young-rae Son, director of the Central Disaster Management Headquarters (CDMH) strategy and planning team, is explaining that the commissioned vaccine to be developed in August is not Sputnik V. And earlier this month, Moderna’s progress in establishing its Korean subsidiary once again stirred up rumors on the CMO production of vaccines in August. Officials from Moderna had visited a Korean pharmaceutical company prior to the establishment of its subsidiary, which gave leeway for speculations on which companies may be candidates of the CMO deal. More recently, not Moerna’s or Pfizer’s, but another vaccine also entered the discussion. This new vaccine was jointly produced by GSK and CureVac. CureVac had submitted an application for the authorization of its mRNA vaccine to the European Medicine Agency (EMA) after completing the Phase III trial. With the approval of a third mRNA vaccine imminent in Europe, some had raised the prospect that this vaccine is the one that will be produced under a CMO deal in Korea. However, whether speculations on CureVac’s production in Korea is true or not has not been determined yet. An industry official said, “You hear rumors about the CMO deal all day. Investors are immensely interested in which company will be producing the COVID-19 vaccines. As the rumors started due to the government’s announcement, I believe the government needs to sort out its position to some extent, to reduce confusion."
- Company
- It's not far from conquering lung cancer
- by An, Kyung-Jin May 13, 2021 05:56am
- Lim Sun-min, professor of oncology at Yonsei Cancer HospitalChoi, a woman in her 50s who lives in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer last year and was disappointed. At the time of diagnosis, metastases had occurred in various organs, including the brain, eyeballs, and bones, so it was impossible to participate in clinical research as well as surgery. Fortunately, EGFR targeted anti-cancer drugs were available. The condition began to miraculously improve when the primary treatment began with "Tagrisso," which has the highest penetration rate of brain war among EGFR targeted anti-cancer drugs on the market. The size of the cancer has also decreased noticeably. However, she has been unable to quit her job for seven months due to her continued high-priced anti-cancer treatment. The price of "Tagrisso," which is not covered by insurance during primary treatment, exceeds ₩6 million a month. Even that is burdensome to pay at once, so she visited Yonsei Cancer Hospital three times a week and take medicine for several days. Lim Sun-min, a professor of oncology at Yonsei Cancer Hospital, said, "Many lung cancer patients, who are not covered by health insurance, are suffering from difficult treatment due to the burden of drug prices. "Even if various clinical studies are underway, participation is not possible if they do not meet the recruitment criteria," she said. "Although they have improved a lot, the unfulfilled demand at the medical site is still high." It has been 70 years since mankind has fought cancer with weapons such as anticancer drugs and radiation therapy. Lung cancer is a deadly disease that ranks first among many cancers. Target anti-cancer drugs are considered to be one of the biggest contributors to the goal of conquering lung cancer, which seemed impossible. Epithelial cell growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, found in about 30 to 40% of non-small cell lung cancer patients, have significantly improved their survival rate with the emergence of EGFR tyrosynkinase (TKI). Tagriso (Osimertinib), a third-generation targeted anti-cancer drug developed by AstraZeneca, expanded the lung adaptation to secondary treatment and postoperative lung cancer in patients with T790M resistance metamorphosis after first-generation drugs such as "Iressa" (Gefitinib) and "Erlotinib. Nevertheless, the development of a third-generation EGFR targeted anti-cancer drug, which acts as a mechanism similar to ``Tagrisso,'' is in full swing because of the real restrictions. Professor Lim said, "It has been about five years since Tagrisso became the primary standard treatment for EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer, but many countries, including Korea, have not been insured." "Except for the U.S., accessibility is significantly reduced due to financial burdens," she said. "There is a high thirst for new drugs that can replace Tagrisso at the medical site." Tagrisso is obviously a good drug, but it means that more competitive drugs are needed in terms of cost-effectiveness. Even the third-generation drug Tagriso poses a risk of developing immunity.Combination therapy is actively being tried to overcome the problem of targeted anti-cancer drugs. It is a great pleasure for clinicians to see the results of third-generation EGFR-TKI research pouring in in Asian countries with high rates of EGFR mutations, including Korea, China and Japan. A review paper published in the latest issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology published by the International Association for Lung Cancer Research (IASLC) shows the active three-phase clinical progress of third-generation EGFR-TKI, including Almonertinib, Alflutinib, Abvertinib and Lazertinib. Professor Lim was also asked to participate as an author as "Leclaza," developed by Yuhan, produced commercialization results earlier this year. This shows international interest in Korean new drug "Leclaza." Professor Lim hinted, "Leclaza has proven its efficacy and safety comparable to Tagriso in its initial clinical trials and has shown excellent response rates in patients with cerebral palsy." Janssen is also showing an active willingness to develop MARIPOSA phase III clinical trial, which evaluates the primary treatment effectiveness of double anti-cancer antibodies "Amivantamab" and "Leclaza". "Overcoming resistance to targeted anti-cancer drugs is a difficult task," Professor Lim said. "It's a pity when patients don't get the right medication due to financial problems or when we meet patients who are struggling to continue treatment." Nevertheless, it is not far from overcoming lung cancer in that third-generation EGFR-TKI development is actively taking place, led by the domestic new drug "Leclaza," and various combined research is underway. "Lung cancer is a scary disease with the highest mortality rate, but various lung cancer treatments are being developed, so I hope patients don't give up and get active treatment with a positive mind," Professor Lim said. "We will focus on researching new drugs to provide benefits."
- Company
- Celltrion Exports COVID-19 treatments to Pakistan
- by Chon, Seung-Hyun May 13, 2021 05:55am
- Regkirona, COVID-19 antibody treatment developed by Celltrion, will be sold overseas. Celltrion Healthcare announced on the 10th that it plans to sign a contract for 100,000 vials of Regkirona with a subsidiary of Pakistan's largest order factories (POF) under the Ministry of National Defense and ship the contract. "Regkirona has been approved for emergency use by certain groups before obtaining official permission from Pakistani health authorities," the company said. Regkirona, which will be sold as the first batch, will be administered to confirmed COVID-19 patients among Pakistani soldiers and ordinary people. 100,000 vials with contracts can be administered to about 30,000 people. Celltrion Healthcare plans to send medical personnel to Pakistan to provide education to local medical personnel who will be in charge of taking Regkirona. Pakistan has the world's fifth largest population of 216.6 million, with an average of about 4,000 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 recently, and the cumulative number of confirmed cases has exceeded 850,000 people. The cumulative death toll from COVID-19 also amounts to 18,000. The situation caused by COVID-19 is getting worse, with the daily average death toll, which was maintained at 50-60 earlier this year, surpassing 150 as of the end of March. "Regkirona, which will be sold this time, will help Pakistan's COVID-19 quarantine policy," Celltrion Healthcare said. Regkirona has been prescribed to more than 2,700 patients since it obtained conditional approval from the MFDS in February for patients with high-risk minor and secondary diseases. Recently, a total of 1,300 global clinical phase III patients have been recruited and administered in 13 countries, including Korea, the United States, Spain and Romania, and data analysis is currently underway. An official from Celltrion Group said, "We are currently discussing Regkirona exports with a number of countries as well as Pakistan. "Considering the limited production capacity of antibody treatments, we plan to focus our support on countries that need help from the international community."
- Company
- Chong Kun Dang challenges New Biologics
- by An, Kyung-Jin May 13, 2021 05:55am
- Chong Kun Dang is a new drug developer and challenges to overcome lung cancer tolerance with a dual anti-cancer antibody that simultaneously inhibits hepatocellular growth factor receptor (cMET) and epithelial cell growth factor receptor (EGFR). It is planning to achieve both business performance and R&D performance with bio-new drugs that it is going to challenge for the first time. Park Kyu-jin, director of Chong Kun Dang, presented the theme of "cMET/EGFR dual antibody development for lung cancer patients" at the 5th Forum on Medical Innovation online event held by the Foundation for Medical Innovation on the 7th. Foundation for Medical Innovation is a non-profit corporation under the Ministry of Science and ICT established in 2016 by Professor Kim Hyo-soo of Seoul National University Hospital, who is considered an expert in cardiovascular, stem cell, and biology. Director Park introduced the main research results of the bio-new drug "CKD-702," which is being developed by Chong Kun Dang, at the forum on the theme of "the latest trends and visions of next-generation bio-innovation technologies." CKD-702 is a dual anti-cancer antibody that simultaneously inhibits c-Met and EGFR, which are essential for cancer growth and proliferation. By binding to each receptor to induce endocytosis and decomposition, the expression of the two receptors is reduced and cancer cell proliferation is suppressed by blocking related sub-signals. It is the first bio-new drug to be challenged by Chong Kun Dang since its foundation. Since launching the development of "CKD-702" in 2013, Chong Kun Dang has completed preclinical verification with the support of the pan-ministry new drug development project. According to the announcement, a preclinical study of CKD-702 exclusively administered to non-small cell lung cancer animal models confirmed that CKD-702 was resistant to EGFR tyrosinase inhibitors (TKI), such as "Giotrip" (Apartmentinib) and "Tagrisso" (Osimertinib). The MET exon 14 skipping mutation or MET gene amplification model, known as one of the major carcinogenes in non-small cell lung cancer, was also shown to significantly inhibit tumor growth only with CKD-702 alone. The results suggest that targeted anti-cancer drugs, which are currently actively prescribed at medical sites, may be overcome. Park Kyu-jin, director of Chong Kun Dang, is introducing the CKD-702 action mechanism at the forum Based on such preclinical data, Chong Kun Dang has been conducting phase 1 clinical tests in Korea since last year for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. It is exploring the possibility of subsequent development by administering CKD-702 solo therapy to those who express specific mutant findings among patients with non-small cell lung cancer. According to Director Park, "CKD-702" has a low binding power to EGFR, which has a low risk of developing skin toxicity, which was considered a side effect of EGFR targeted anti-cancer drugs. On the other hand, cancer cell proliferation ability is better than c-MET target anti-cancer drug and EGFR target anti-cancer drug combined. If preclinical results are reproduced at the clinical stage, the potential is sufficient as the best-in-class in the family, even if it is not the world's first-in-class. Director Park said, "We are targeting non-small cell lung cancer, which mainly expresses c-MET and EGFR, as the first indication. "We are in the process of comprehensively reviewing the possibility of global technology exports or internal development," he said. "We plan to push for global clinical trials by expanding our coverage to stomach cancer and head and neck cancer in the future."
- Company
- HER2-directed ADC ‘Enhertu’ in process of seeking approval
- by Eo, Yun-Ho May 12, 2021 04:43pm
- A HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) is looking to enter the Korean market. According to industry officials, AstraZeneca Korea and Daiichi Sankyo Korea are preparing the application process for the approval of their human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) ‘Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan).’ Enhertu, which has indications for breast and gastric cancer, was jointly developed by AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo and was first approved for the treatment of recurrent metastatic HER-positive breast cancer in the U.S. in 2019. Last year, Enhertu was additionally approved in the U.S. for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma in patients who have received prior standard treatment with ‘Herceptin(trastuzumab).’ The drug was granted the Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) in the U.S. As Roche’s ADC ‘Kadcyla (trastuzumab emtansine)’ failed to demonstrate its efficacy in gastric cancer, expectations are rising in the field on the possibility of prescribing Enhertu in gastric cancer. Although HER2 protein expression is generally found in breast cancer, it can also be found in other types of cancer. One out of five gastric cancer patients in the U.S. is diagnosed with advanced HER2-positive gastric cancer. The efficacy of Enhertu in gastric cancer was demonstrated through the Phase II DESTINY-Gastric01 trial. In the trial, 25 patients were randomly assigned to receive Enhertu or the investigator’s choice of chemotherapy (paclitaxel or irinotecan) administered by intravenous infusion every 3 weeks. The patients had HER2-positive, locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer that had progressed after the patient had received at least two previous regimens, which included Enhertu and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy. Results showed that median overall survival (OS) in the Enhertu group was 12.5 months, which was superior compared to the 8.4 months in the patient group that received the investigator’s choice of therapy. The objective response rate (ORR) was 40.5% in the Enhertu group and 11.3% in the paclitaxel or irinotecan group. Also, the median duration of confirmed objective response was 11.3 months in the Enhertu group, as compared with 3.9 months in the group that received the investigator’s choice of therapy. Also, Enhertu demonstrated efficacy and safety in breast cancer in the Phase II DESTINY-Breast01 trial. Results showed that Enhertu treated group met the primary efficacy outcome measures with an objective response rate (ORR) of 60.9%. The progression-free survival (PFS) was 16.4 months, and Enhertu also showed encouraging duration of response (DoR) and 1-year survival rate outcomes.
- Company
- Can steroid ointment be used for dermatitis?
- by May 12, 2021 05:58am
- Bayer Korea recently released a Pharm drama on the 12th, which consists of cases of chronic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis patients and pharmacists in the form of a drama. The Pharm drama(View Video) is designed to provide guidelines for Bepanthen so that skin inflammation can be safely taken care of without worrying about steroid side effects. Pharmacist Lee Seung-hee, who runs Chunsa Pharmacy, appeared to introduce three cases of skin lesions and conducted an interview on the use of the correct ointment. The three mentioned cases include patients in their 30s suffering from chronic dermatitis due to steroid drug use, infants suffering from atopic dermatitis, and patients in their 30s suffering from contact dermatitis due to wearing masks. The pharmacist first mentioned cases of patients in their 30s suffering from chronic dermatitis, stressing the risk of side effects of steroid drugs. It is explained that stopping after applying steroid drugs for a long time can lead to rebound, which is one of the side effects. Due to the characteristics of steroids, which are immunosuppressants, steroids only improve skin symptoms that are immediately visible, and toxins and heat accumulate steadily in the body. Steroids can be used appropriately depending on the circumstances, but long-term use should be avoided, and it is recommended that the steroid-free ointment be chosen as much as possible. Moisturizing and skin regeneration are needed to alleviate symptoms of atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis. In particular, Bayer Korea recommended Bepanthen (Dexpanthenol 5%) as an external solvent with these conditions and stressed that it should be treated steadily. Bayer Korea expects the video to help pharmacists consult on medication as more and more patients have skin problems due to wearing masks. In fact, Korean researchers recently announced a study that continued wearing of face masks due to COVID-19 causes skin trouble. It has been confirmed that significant changes in biochemical indicators of the skin are caused by long-term wear of face masks. Wearing a mask for a long time creates a humid environment inside, and skin irritation can occur frequently, causing inflammation, and frequent hand washing and use of sanitizers can also cause skin drying and itching. Chronic dermatitis symptoms such as atopic dermatitis can worsen as the dry and daily temperature range severe weather unique to the change of seasons continues. Pharmacist Lee Seung-hee said, "Bepanthen is an ointment that can be used exclusively for mild skin diseases and can be recommended for those who overuse steroid drugs. It is OTC drug that actually works well for dermatitis." Bepanthen is a non-steroidal ointment that features the effects of skin moisturizers, skin barrier restorants, and wound healing promoters, and ranked No. 1 OTC in the dermatitis treatment category.
