Hanall Pharmaceutical obtains patent for oral protein medicine

SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Yonhap) -- Hanall Pharmaceutical Co. of South Korea said Thursday
it has obtained a domestic patent for protein therapeutics for oral
administration.

Interferon-alpha, a type of protein to activate an immune reaction, is used to
treat virus infections including hepatitis, genital herpes and influenza and was
only available for injectable administration so far.
The company, which secured a patent on the medicine from U.S. authorities last
year, plans to initiate a domestic clinical trial for it this year.
"We plan to develop the world's first oral protein medicine, which is expected to
replace half of the global market for protein medicine, estimated at 5 trillion
won (US$4 billion)," said a company official.
kimnh@yna.co.kr
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