South Korean pharmaceutical giant Celltrion clinched the first overseas supply deal for its COVID-19 antibody treatment Regkirona, according to Celltrion Healthcare’s announcement on Monday.

Celltrion Healthcare, which is in charge of Celltrion‘s overseas business, signed a contract with a state-run company in Pakistan to export 100,000 vials of Regkirona, enough for around 30,000 people.

The firm will dispatch its experts to Pakistan to train medical workers who will administer the COVID-19 treatment, the company added.

Celltrion Healthcare expressed hopes that the COVID-19 antibody treatment will help Pakistan curb the country’s growing number of hospitalized patients.

“Celltrion is in talks with several countries in Europe and South America, as well as India, to export Regkirona,” said a Celltrion’s official.

In South Korea, Regkirona received conditional approval from the South Korean drug safety agency in February, becoming the first locally-made COVID-19 treatment. Since February, the COVID-19 treatment has been administered to some 2,700 high-risk patients, including people over 60 and those with chronic diseases that affect the respiratory system.

Celltrion is also conducting phase three clinical trials in 13 countries with a total of 1,300 patients who have volunteered for clinical studies, including South Korea, the US, Spain, Romania and more.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)