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- 2026-04-16 21:14:34
- Company
- Surveillance or global standard? Dispute over SAP by MSD
- by Jun 11, 2020 06:22am
- The employees of MSD Korea are strongly opposing against the management planning to implement tightened self-assurance program (SAP) guideline. The company’s sales department is infuriated with the Korean management adhering to the global standard, regardless of the employees constantly demanding for flexible amendment. According to the pharmaceutical industry sources on June 8, MSD Korea has recently introduced the new SAP to its employees. Two key changes have been made; first, the subject for SAP would be expanded from ‘a product presentation of five or more persons’ to ‘two or more persons.’ As a result, all product presentation, except for one-on-one, would be subject for SAP. And the three-hour pre-notification of accompanying SAP agent issued to the monitored sales person would be removed. However, to minimize the disturbance, the monitored sales person would be notified via a phone call 45 minutes prior to the scheduled meeting. The new SAP guideline would come in effect from June 30. New SAP guideline announced by MSD Korea If a healthcare provider cancels meeting right before the time, despite the pre-notified SAP, prospective product presentations for the healthcare provider may get limited. The company’s sales employees are resisting the changes. Although the employees urged for more adaptable and localized guidelines, the SAP was rather strengthened and started restricting the sales activity. In other words, when a scheduled event is canceled, the damage would directly penalize the responsible sales employee. SAP is a compliance program (CP) MSD Korea enforces. Since the financial profit expenditure report system was mandated, the company implemented the CP to monitor employees complying with the business ethics code. With an external agent (‘coordinator’) accompanying to an event for healthcare provider account, the company monitors the sales employee providing appropriate venue, food and beverage and sharing appropriate conversations during product presentation. The program started off with a good objective, but it sparked a dispute between the management and employees last year. The employees reproached as the program invasively watched over employees and a third party listening to the conversation between the healthcare provider and employee during the product presentation raised an issue of invasion of privacy. Some employees received a note of warning from the management, because of what a healthcare provider said during the presentation. Regardless, the company management claims the changes in SAP is unavoidable due to the global standards. MSD Korea official explained, “SAP is applied to every small-scale meeting, consisting of two to 25 persons, convened by all global branches of MSD,” and “from the beginning, the SAP was applied to all events with two or more persons and no pre-notification. But it only got be expanded throughout APAC region from May 1.” The official added, “Monitoring a canceled event is not to penalize the employee, but to analyze the cause from different angles and to proactively seek improvements.” Summing up the management’s stance, the new changes are their effort to actually match the exceptional standard the SAP had in Korea so far to the global level of standard. The company elaborated the details internally, but the employees refuted that it was “an unacceptable explanation.” Apparently, some employees have started questioning the management’s leadership. A sales person at MSD Korea pointed out, “The company lays down unfavorable global guideline to the employees, and applies localized standard in areas the employees want the global standard to be applied.” Another sales person criticized, “The management of MSD Korea disregards the domestic situation but rather blindly accepts the order to follow the global standard. Flexibly and reasonably improving irrational guidelines is also a key role the management has to play.” The industry also shakes its head on MSD Korea’s SAP. Most of multinational pharmaceutical companies skip on SAP but reinforces CP training instead. An industry insider noted, “Even if the company follows the global guideline, flexible standard fitting to Korean environment should be used,” and “the company should also try to fathom the difficulties the employees feel on job and reflect needed changes accordingly.”
- Policy
- About 70% of new anticancer drugs are listed
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Jun 11, 2020 06:22am
- The average listed rate for new drugs approved in Korea was 67.2%. Looking at the rate of chemotherapy drug listed alone, it was 70.2%, which is higher than all new drugs. Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs This data was shown on the 8th through the 'Health and Welfare ISSUE&FOCUS (Silvia Park, Korea Institute for Pharmaceutical Policy Affairs, Solyip Ha, Social Budget Research Group)' published by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. As a result of analyzing 570 new drugs approved in Korea from 2007 to 2018 by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Trends in new drug properties seen in the global market have recently been observed, such as increased treatment for severe diseases, higher costs, and uncertainty in the basis for decision making. As a result of analyzing the database of the MFDS, the annual average of 47.5 new drugs has been approved over the past 12 years. Of these, 141 new anticancer drugs accounted for 24.7% of all new drugs, and since 2007, the proportion has increased gradually, accounting for about 39% in 2016 and 2017. As a result of comparing the health insurance drug price file and claim data based on the MFDS, as of May 2019, 383 items, 67.2% of the 570 new drugs approved, were listed on the reimbursement list. Anti-cancer drugs, 99 items (70.2%) out of the total 141 items were listed, showing a higher listing rate than all new drugs. Anticancer drugs that were approved in 2013~2015 have a very high guarantee rate of about 90%, and the incidence rate of approved anticancer drugs after 2016 is likely to increase further. Among the new drugs for anticancer drugs, 45.5% of them were listed as risk-sharing agents (RSA). In particular, the ratio of RSA to reimbursement was more than 90% in the case of licensed anticancer drugs from 2016 to 2017, after the policy to strengthen the guarantee in 2014. In the United States or the European Union, the percentage of drugs approved for sale under conditional approval was the highest in RSA-listed new drugs at 66.7%, with 46.8% for anticancer drugs and 15.4% for all new drugs. The expenditure on health insurance drug for new drugs increased from ₩392.5 billion in 2012 to ₩1.89 trillion in 2017, while the expenditure of new drugs for anticancer drugs increased from ₩20 billion in 2012 to ₩209.6 billion in 2017, and the share of new drug costs increased by about four times from 5.1% in 2012 to 19.2% in 2017. Among the new drugs in 2014, the RSA drug cost was ₩20.9 billion, accounting for 2.9% of the total new drug cost, while in 2017, the value rose to ₩76.8 billion and 7.1%, respectively. The cost of RSA in anti-cancer drugs increased rapidly from 3.3% of total anti-cancer drug drugs to ₩2.7 billion in 2014, to ₩75.6 billion in 2017 and 36.1%, respectively. If the new drug listed in 2012 took 97 days to be used for the first time in advanced general hospitals, it was shortened to 28 days in 2017. The percentage of total drug expenditures for new drugs that are less than 6 years old are listed as 3.48% in 2013 from 4.68% in 2017. %. As a new drug for anticancer drugs, the proportion of total drug expenditures for products with less than 6 years of entry into the drug increased from 0.35% in 2013 to 0.91% in 2017, and also increased annually. "The proportion of anticancer drugs in the number of new drugs and the expenditure of new drugs is increasing, and new drugs registered as RSA are increasing," said the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. The institute said, "We need a policy to secure financial continuity by strengthening the clinical efficacy evaluation structure of new drugs in our decision to manage uncertainty in new drugs and secure access to innovative new drugs."
- Company
- HPV vaccine Gardasil9 eligible age to extend up to 45
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Jun 10, 2020 06:12am
- The vaccination eligible age for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil9 would be extended in Korea as well. Pharmaceutical industry sources reported, MSD has submitted an indication extension application to Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) to vaccinate both female and male in age 27 to 45. The approval may be cleared in this year at earliest. Gardasil9 covers the most number of HPV types, in which it added five more types of HPV (Type 31, 33, 45, 52, 58) from the original Gardasil (Type 6, 11, 16, 18). In Korea, the vaccine is used in female and male aged from nine to 26 to prevent HPV-related cervical cancer, vulva cancer, vaginal cancer and anal cancer. The indication to vaccinate people aged from 27 to 45 was approved in the U.S. two years ago. In a clinical study on 3,200 women aged from 27 to 45, Gardasil9 demonstrated 88 percent prevention effect in HPV-induced cervical cancer. The study also confirmed the vaccine’s effect on male user as well. Meanwhile, the number of patients with cervical cancer is surging in Korea. Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) explained, the number of patients with cervical cancer in 2015 was at 54,603. But the figure soared by 15% in 2019 with 63,051 patients. In the same span of time, the number of patients in 20s and 30s skyrocketed by 47%. The cervical cancer patient size in the age group of 40s and 50s was also increased by 7 percent.
- Company
- Medtronic Korea joined the KDPU
- by An, Kyung-Jin Jun 10, 2020 06:09am
- A union was established in Medtronic Korea, an Irish medical device company. According to the industry on the 9th, Medtronic Korea recently launched an in-house union and joined the new branch of the Korea democratic Pharmaceutical Unions. The union was founded on May 28th. The union sent official letters to the company to formalize the establishment of the union, and began to work in earnest. Medtronic Korea is a 100% subsidiary of Medtronic International Technologies, a global healthcare company headquartered in Ireland. It has entered more than 150 countries around the world and earns more than $30 billion in annual sales. The Korean corporation was established in June 2000 for the purpose of importing and selling medical products such as medical devices, trade, and brokerage. Recently, it has focused on four business areas: Cardiac and Vascular Group, Diabetes Group, Minimally Invasive Therapies Group, and Restorative Therapies Group. The reason for the sudden establishment of a union in Medtronic Korea, which had not even had a labor-management council for 20 years in Korea, is the spread of employment anxiety. Medtronic Korea was rumored to be restructuring at a Japanese corporation last year, and the sudden change of CEO Heo Joon, who had worked at a Korean corporation for about six years, began to create anxiety about the reduction of manpower among employees. After February, Global performance has deteriorated due to the worldwide spread of COVID-19, and it is confirmed that the internal agitation increased due to the freezing of wages and the guidelines for holding the promotion at the head office. As of the 9th, Medtronic Korea union secured 55 members. A little over 10% of the total number of employees. As of the 9th, Medtronic Korea union secured 55 members. A little over 10% of the total number of employees. The union executive has the aspiration to increase the number of union members and represent the opinions of employees by actively proposing the need for unions. Chief of Korea democratic Pharmaceutical Unions of Medtronic Korea, Kwang-sun Bae, said that due to changes in the company's management policy, the work load of employees is increasing and Work and Life Balance is gradually deteriorating. Also, he added that it was time for the union to come and speak for the opinions of the employees, and we want to change the negative perception of unions and establish an in-house atmosphere that guarantees employment security. The KDPU is a union of pharmaceutical companies that was launched in 2012 under the Federation of Korean Chemical Workers’ Union. At that time, 8 companies including ▲Novartis Korea ▲Takeda Pharmaceuticals ▲Sanofi-Pasteur ▲AstraZeneca Korea ▲Pfizer Korea ▲Zuellig Pharma ▲BMS Korea ▲Janssen Korea participated as founding members. Afterwards, ▲Baxter Korea ▲Merck Korea ▲Ferring ▲Allergan Korea ▲Fresenius Kabi Korea ▲Novonordisk Pharmaceuticals ▲Fresenius Medical Care ▲Abbvie Korea ▲Kolon Pharmaceutical ▲Astellas Korea ▲MSD Korea ▲Mundipharma ▲Galderma ▲Zuelligpharma Solutions Service ▲Korea Lundbeck ▲Zanovex Korea joined and increased to 25 branches, ▲Pfizer Korea ▲Janssen Korea ▲Novonordisk ▲AstraZeneca ▲Merck Korea ▲Novartis Korea, including Sanofi-Pasteur, have withdrawn. With the joining of Medtronic Korea, the number of branches increased to 18.
- Company
- Labor union protests against Lundbeck Korea for 50 days
- by An, Kyung-Jin Jun 10, 2020 06:09am
- Labor union picketing in front of Lundbeck Korea office on June 8 The conflict is deepening between Lunbeck Korea and employees regarding a recent layoff. On June 8, the Lunbeck Korea Chapter of Korea Democratic Pharmaceutical Union protested in front of the company’s head office in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Denouncing the unfair labor practice by the company management, the labor union has been picketing outside the building during commuting and lunch time for 50 days. And 10 of the Korea Democratic Pharmaceutical Union associates were present at the site as well. Lundbeck Korea Labor Union is a negotiating body established in July last year. The labor union joined the umbrella union as a new chapter, because the employees felt insecure in their job when the company unilaterally changed the regulation on employees in between job assignments. Lundbeck Korea Labor Unions’ long fight started from two months ago. According to Korea Democratic Pharmaceutical Union, a former employee at the company has received a letter of dismissal on Apr. 16. Three days after convening the disciplinary committee, the former employee has been informed of the dismissal and the decision was publicly opened as a ‘personnel order’ via company email. According to the employment regulation, the affected employee was supposed to be able to request for an appeal and practice the right to receive reassessment. But the labor union argues the company officially announcing the dismissal even before the appeal is an unfair labor practice. Head of Lundbeck Korea Chapter Lee Kyung-Soo said, “When firing our member of the union, the management did not inform the union. The company is clearly trying to oppress the labor union,” and “many of us employees are feeling oppressed and intimidated by the company disregarding the basic right of defense and unjustly handling the dismissal.” The labor union is demanding the company to sincerely apologize to the employees. At the negotiation table a month ago, apparently, the union representatives stated, “The protest would be halted without any other condition, if the company acknowledges its fault.” The union plans to take the justification of the disciplinary action to Regional Labor Relations Commission and National Labor Relations Commission. Reportedly, the labor union officials are working on the affected former employee’s relief application with the Regional Labor Relations Commission and the former employee is also individually following up with a legal procedure. The labor union’s picketing was seemingly subsiding when it was temporarily suspended last month. But it resumed in five days and today marks the 50th day. The union claims their fight against the company resumed as the company did not deliver the promise. Lee reproached, “The HR sent out another email elaborating the incident, but it was not an apology but it was deceiving the labor union and employees. The management has notified the union the negotiation would not be conducted unless the outside office protest is ended. And they have not even started salary and employee benefit negotiation for 2020, yet.” However, the company management says otherwise. The reason behind the employee dismissal cannot be disclosed, but they claim the procedure was done by the book. The employee was not eligible to join the union, and it was irrelevant to the labor union suppression as the decision was made after a long discussion with the headquarters. A Lundbeck Korea insider explained, “A personnel order is applicable after the first decision is made by the disciplinary committee. The management thought the news of dismissal had to be disclosed as soon as possible to prevent a gap in work flow.” The insider added, “As it was an unprecedented personnel decision made ever since the Lundbeck Korea was established, we understand the confused sentiment of the employees. But their claim that the company is oppressing the employees is unacceptable,” and “unless the union stops the protest, the negotiation would not be conducted properly.”
- Company
- Accelerating the market entry of JAK inhibitors
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Jun 10, 2020 06:08am
- JAK inhibitors, oral rheumatoid arthritis drugs, are increasing sales in the autoimmune disease treatment market. Xeljanz (left) & Olumiant However, the major item Xeljanz (Tofacitinib) is faltering. For the first time, quarterly sales fell. It is an analysis that the growth of Olumiant(Baricitinib) had an effect. In addition, generics such as Smyraf (Peficitinib) and Rinvoq (Upadacitinib) will begin in earnest, the competition for the JAK inhibitor market is expected to intensify. According to the drug research agency IQVIA on the 8th, the sales of JAK inhibitors in the first quarter amounted to ₩5.4 billion. It has grown more than 6 times in three years from ₩800 million in the first quarter. JAK inhibitors are known as oral rheumatoid arthritis drugs. It is evaluated that it has overcome the limitations of the most widely used TNF alpha inhibitors in the market for autoimmune diseases. It was pointed out that TNF alpha inhibitors are injections despite expanded indications. The main indication is rheumatoid arthritis, which is more limited than a TNF alpha inhibitor. However, last year, Xeljanz is expanding its scope by adding indications for ulcerative colitis and psoriatic arthritis. In addition, studies on atopic dermatitis, Crohn's disease, ankylosing spondylitis are also reported to be in progress. Among the related products, sales in the first quarter were ₩3.9 billion for Xeljanz and ₩1.5 billion for Olumiant. However, the recent sales changes have led to the first quarterly decline in Xeljanz. It decreased by 4% to ₩4.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2019, On the other hand, luminescent increased 44% from 1 billion won to 1.5 billion won during the same period. It is reported that in the fourth quarter of last year, it surpassed Xeljanz in the prescription share of new patients. The gap between the two is expected to be further narrowed if Olumiant acquires indications for atopic dermatitis. Quarterly sales of Xeljanz & Olumiant (Unit:₩100 million, Source: IQVIA) In January, Astellas' Smyraf (Peficitinib) was approved by the MFDS. On the 4th, Abbvie's Rinvoq was approved. Both products are expected to enter reimbursement categories within this year, unless there is a big deal. Some products are waiting to be released. Gilead Sciences completed the clinical phase III of Filgotinib last year, and is currently applying for a product license in the United States, Europe and Japan. Pfizer is targeting atopic dermatitis and is conducting Phase III clinical trial of the second JAK inhibitor, PF-04965842.
- Company
- Rinvoq was approved in Korea
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Jun 09, 2020 06:28am
- Domestic market competition among JAK inhibitors is fierce. According to the related industry, Pfizer's Xeljanz (Tofacitinib), Lilly's Olumiant (Baricitinib), Astellas' Smyraf(Peficitinib) and Abbvie’s Rinvoq (Upadacitinib) were approved on the 4th. Rinvoq's permission is based on five phase III SELECT clinical trials (SELECT-NEXT, SELECT-BEYOND, SELECT-MONOTHERAPY, SELECT-COMPARE, SELECT-EARLY) involving 4,443 patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis. As a result of phase III clinical trials, Rinvoq showed lower disease activity and improved clinical remission rate compared to placebo, MTX or Humira (Adalimumab) group when used alone or in combination with conventional synthetic DMARD (csDMARD). However, it is not yet as effective as biological products in the market. Relatively, indications of JAK inhibitors are limited in areas other than rheumatoid arthritis. Xeljanz, which was first developed, added indications such as ulcerative colitis and psoriatic arthritis last year, and Generics are also under study to expand indications for autoimmune diseases such as atopic dermatitis, Crohn's disease, and ankylosing spondylitis. If the commercialization of Gilead's Filgotinib, which is in the process of approval in the United States and Europe, is achieved, the market size of the JAK inhibitor itself with the convenience of oral medication is also expected to expand. Meanwhile, these JAK inhibitors have the same mechanism of blocking inflammatory cytokine signaling pathways JAK (enzymes such as JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, TYK2, etc.), but there are detailed differences. Xeljanz blocks JAK1 and JAK3, and Olumiant blocks JAK1 and JAK2, and Smyraf blocks JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2. Rinvoq & Filgotinib are related to JAK1.
- Policy
- Kolmar begins patent challenge
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Jun 09, 2020 06:28am
- More and more domestic pharmaceutical companies are greedy with generic drugs from Novartis' DPP-4 diabetes treatment drug 'Galvus'. On the 5th, Kolmar Korea filed a passive trial to confirm the scope of a patent right to avoid patents. It has been 7 months since it was approved for bioequivalence test for development of generics in November last year. Normally, patent challenge and commercialization are developed at the same time, but Kolmar entered the patent trial later. This is because Galvus' patent challenge results could not be easily predicted. As such, Kolmar seems to have been following the referee situation requested by the Korea United Pharm and Hanmi as it proceeds with product development. In addition to Kolmar, Hanmi and Korea United Pharm are in the process of patent challenge with the exception of patented indications. The rest of the indications have already expired. In other words, the product they made was claimed by the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board. Hanmi’s Vildagle was already approved as Galvus' salt-modifying product in January, and acquired an insurance price of 403 won per tablet as of April. Korea United Pharm, which was approved for the bioequivalence test in November, has not yet obtained an item license. Hanmi has not yet released a product. The patent trial request has not been made yet. Novartis is currently filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Hanmi, and is pressing the MFDS through a lawsuit for revocation of permission. However, if the claims are cited in the patent trial expected this month, the product will be released soon. Product releases from Korea United Pharm and Colmar are also expected to follow. It is a pity for Ahn-gook Pharm, which has already received an item license and is waiting for release. Ahn-gook Pharm's patent extension period of 187 days was invalidated, and the launch was confirmed from August 30, 2021. it also obtained a generic exclusivity, and a monopoly on the generic market for nine months from the time of release. However, it is said that the competitors may use other strategies to preoccupy the generics market of Galvus.
- Policy
- Tightening electronic review on antiinfectives from October
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Jun 09, 2020 06:28am
- Korea’s Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) is tightening the electronic review system regarding the antiinfectives for systemic use. The list of electronic review subjects include AbbVie Korea’s Mavyret, Gilead Science Korea’s Biktarvy, Ildong Pharmaceutical’s Besivo and many other chronic hepatitis type B and C treatments. To prevent drug overuse and abuse, HIRA sets down and uses electronic inspection criteria based on drug label (effect, benefit, dose and administration method) and reimbursement standard (issued by Ministry of Health and Welfare) established by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). When a drug is used not according to the approved indication and reimbursement criteria decided by MFSD, the electronic inspection system could automatically deduct the reimbursement. Xarelto and Pradaxa’s electronic inspection program would be developed following the drug label and electronic inspection criteria principle. And reimbursement deduction or other adjustment would be executed when incompliant with the drug label. Currently, the government is building the review programs on antiinfective drugs for systemic use including ATC code of J01, J02, J04, J05, H, P and L. Not only does Group J include hepatitis treatments, but also other various drugs like Chong Kun Dang’s Amoxapen, Yuhan’s Cefaclor, Dongwha Pharm’s Fucidin, Gilead Science’s Harvoni and Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Hanmi Flu. Nocturnal enuresis treatments (Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Demoresin, JW Shinyak’s Desonic) and hypothyroidism treatment (Bukwang Pharmaceutical’s Synthyroid, Kyowa Kirin Korea’s Regpara) are listed for reimbursement and categorized under Group H. From Group P, rheumatoid treatment (Elyson Pharm’s Oxiklorin, Korea PMG Pharm’s Duroc), and trichomoniasis treatment (Sinil Pharmaceutical’s Tinidazin, Austin Pharm’s Austin Tinidazole) would undergo the electronic review. Group H includes colorectal cancer treatment (Ildong Pharmaceutical’s Xelobig, Roche Korea’s Xeloda), chronic myelogenous leukemia treatment (Dong-A ST’s Gleenib, Boryung Pharmaceutical’s Glima, Chong Kun Dang’s Leukeevec) and non-small cell lung cancer treatment (Roche Korea’s Tarceva, Teva-Handok’s Teva Erlotinib). The basic principle of the electronic review relies on MFDS-approved indication—effect, benefit, dose and administration method—and other reimbursement standard would be reflected for the review. HIRA would complete building and introducing the program around June to September and enforce the electronic review from October. Healthcare institutes would have to properly cooperate with the government agency for all subject drugs to be prescribed and administered, appropriately.
- Company
- Will COVID-19 Vaccine be specially imported?
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Jun 09, 2020 06:26am
- The government is reviewing the vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca as a special import for COVID-19. Although it is still in the development stage, it is said that the government and the company had contacted with the plan to urgently introduce it in the form of special import if the clinical trial succeeds. According to the pharmaceutical industry on the 5th, officials from the MOHW and AstraZeneca Korea from South Korea held a meeting once in Seoul. It is confirmed that In-taek Lim, director of the Health Industry Policy Division, participated in this meeting. The two sides discussed the progress of the clinical trial of the DNA vaccine currently being developed by the Jenner Institut in the UK. The government previously decided to make a special import for Gilead Science's “Remdesivir”, which is being developed as a treatment for COVID-19. In addition, the government is also considering ways to specially import the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and developed by the Jenner Institut at Oxford University in the UK. Currently, major companies and organizations that are developing COVID-19 vaccines include CanSino Biologics in China, Moderna Therapeutics, and Inovio Pharmaceuticals in the United States. The Jenner Institut started late, but it was the fastest to develop. It predicts that vaccine production will be possible as early as September this year. The reason that the Jenner Institut was able to speed up this is because safety was confirmed in clinical trials of vaccines developed for the prevention of MERS, the same coronavirus disease last year. It is said to have been successful in animal tests conducted this year in the case of COVID-19 vaccine. The clinical trial scale is also the largest. The clinical trial phase I was launched on April 24, and the number of participants reached 1,100. It overwhelms the clinical trials of other companies and institutions. In the case of Moderna and Inovio, which had entered clinical trials earlier, dozens of participants were conducted in Phase I trial. In May, it was approved by the British government to conduct Phase II/III trials simultaneously. The size of the clinical trials are about 5000. AstraZeneca plans to produce a vaccine that can be dosed by 2 billion people worldwide by as early as September, assuming that the trial will be completed successfully. Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca in an interview with an American press, said, "We plan to introduce vaccines to the United States and the United Kingdom from September or October." AstraZeneca and the government have been in a good relationship since President Moon Jae-in's visit to Sweden last year. In June of last year, President Moon Jae-in visited Sweden and met with Leif Johansson, Chairman of AstraZeneca. Chairman Johansson promised to invest $630 million in Korea over the next five years. In December of last year, Chairman Johansson visited Cheongwadae with an economic mission headed by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. Through the visit, Chairman Johansson reaffirmed his commitment to invest $630 million, and specified the investment market. If the COVID-19 vaccine is successfully commercialized, it is expected that Korea's special imports will be proceeded well.
