Boryung completes final clinical test on new hypertension treatment drug

SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Yonhap) -- Boryung Pharmaceutical Co., one of South Korea's
largest pharmaceutical companies, has completed its final clinical test on a new
drug that will help treat patients with high blood pressure, health authorities
said Monday.

The drug, Fimasartan, showed its excellent efficacy in reducing blood pressure
among patients while not causing any significant side effects, according to the
Korea Drug and Food Administration, citing company officials.
If the hypertension treatment drug is approved by the government for market sale,
it would mark the 15th new medicine developed by a local drug manufacturer. The
drug will likely hit the market in the third quarter of this year, market
observers said.
Most medicines developed by South Korean companies have been unsuccessful in the
market, with many firms failing to recoup investment they spent on developing new
drugs.
On Sunday, the government unveiled a raft of measures aimed at bolstering
research and development activities by local drug makers through expanded
investment support, tax incentives and better industrial infrastructure.
It is part of the state-led efforts to enhance the competitiveness of the
domestic pharmaceutical industry and secure new growth engines for the nation's
overall economy, it added.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)

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