On February 27, Dong-A Pharmaceutical (CEO Kim, Won-Bae) signed a licensing agreement with Trius
Therapeutics, an American antibiotics developer, regarding global market development and sales rights for DA-
7218, a superbacteria targeting antibiotic. Significantly, the product was licensed after the preclinical trial
thanks to its remarkable efficacy, before any costly clinical trials were conducted.
A Dong-A spokesman stated “Most drugs are licensed after expensive R&D and clinical trials, but DA-7218
was licensed at the preclinical stage, showing the superiority of our R&D.” DA-7218, an
oxazolidinone antibiotic, hinders bacteria protein synthesis and is effective against superbacteria such as
VRE, MRSA, and PRSP that are resistant to existing antibiotics.
The preclinical trials showed that DA-7218 had an antibacterial effect that was four times stronger than
existing drugs, and had a wider antibacterial spectrum, as well as fewer side effects. It is being developed so
that it can be administered through one injection a day, as opposed to existing drugs that require two or three
injections daily. Trius Therapeutics received USD 20 million dollars in funding from four major investment
companies, giving it the cash it needs to finish phase II clinical trials. Trius plans to receive more funding so it
can complete the drug’s development. Trius will also request that the FDA approve DA-7218 as an
investigational new drug.
With its vision to “become a global pharmaceutical company based on R&D,” Dong-A Pharmaceutical has
achieved numerous export contracts since the end of last year. The company won contracts to export
Zydena？？, an erectile dysfunction drug, to the Middle East, and the anticancer drug, Gemcit？？ and the
biotech infertility drug, Gonadopin？？ to China late last year. It also signed a contract to export Stillen？？, a
blockbuster new drug to China early this month.
