Celltrion’s COVID-19 antibody pipeline CT-P59 will be clinically tested on asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and people who have come in close contact with confirmed patients, such as medical workers, to prevent infection, Celltrion said Monday.

The purpose of the test is to verify CT-P59’s preventive effects against COVID-19 infection and early-phase virus eradication. Celltrion hopes this will cut blind spots where vaccines may fail to cover.

The test will target a total of 1,000 people, centering on those in Korea.

According to Celltrion, CT-P59 has the benefit of instant antibody creation upon injection to human body, providing a protection against the SARS CoV-2 virus.

CT-P59’s safety in healthy people was proven through domestic clinical phase 1 trial. Celltrion is currently carrying out clinical phase 2/3 trial targeting lightly and seriously afflicted COVID-19 patients in Korea.

The company started mass production of the drug samples in September at its own manufacturing sites to prepare for potential global distribution.

Antibody treatments are, by nature, expensive. Celltrion’s Chairperson Seo Jung-jin had said on multiple public occasions that he plans to make the drug as affordable as possible for the greater good, without making precise estimations of the drug price.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)