Hyundai Bioscience CEO Oh Sang-gi,  announced its plan to launch global clinical trials for a revolutionary treatment targeting all four serotypes of the Dengue virus. This announcement comes as Dengue fever cases continue to rise globally after the subsidence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The newly developed antiviral drug, poised for trials in key regions including Mid/South America and Southeast Asia, aims to obtain emergency use authorization (EUA) to meet urgent health needs. CEO Oh Sang-gi emphasized the importance of early intervention with this antiviral, stating, "The fundamental approach to combatting Dengue fever involves administering our drug in the early stages of infection, ensuring effectiveness across all serotypes."

Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection, has seen a significant increase in cases with approximately 3.58 million in the Americas in 2024—a threefold increase from the previous year—and rising numbers in Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Malaysia. The urgency is underscored by the severe outcomes of subsequent infections, which can escalate to Dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Hyundai Bioscience has repurposed niclosamide, a drug known for its antiviral properties against Dengue, through its innovative drug delivery system (DDS) which enhances the bioavailability and efficacy of the treatment. The drug, named Xafty®, has also demonstrated efficacy and safety in treating COVID-19, shortening recovery times in clinical tests.

The upcoming trials are designed as basket clinical trials, which will not only target all Dengue virus serotypes but also include patients with other similar mosquito-borne viruses like Zika and Chikungunya. Hyundai Bioscience's CEO Kim Kyung-il of Hyundai Bioscience USA adds, "This could lead to the world’s first broad-spectrum antiviral drug capable of addressing various viral infections simultaneously, akin to the role of penicillin for bacterial infections."

With these trials, Hyundai Bioscience aims to provide a timely solution to the increasing threat of Dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases, marking a significant milestone in global infectious disease management.