Hyundai Bioscience (HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE CO., LTD.) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), an international non-profit organization that discovers, develops and delivers treatments for neglected patients, jointly announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop Xafty, a niclosamide-based broad-spectrum antiviral candidate, into a potential affordable, accessible, and safe antiviral treatment for dengue.
The MOU signing ceremony took place at Hyundai Bio’s office in Seoul, attended by Hyundai Bio CEO Sang-Ki Oh, DNDi Business Development and Alliance Management Director Daisuke Imoto, and DNDi Viral Diseases Cluster Director Dr Isabela Ribeiro, who officially signed the MOU.
Both parties will jointly promote a project for the research, development, and global deployment of a Xafty-based dengue antiviral treatment. To this end, they plan to establish a joint project team responsible for clinical trials, manufacturing, and regulatory strategies, while also collaborating to expand treatment affordability and accessibility in low- and middle-income countries.
Hyundai Bio and DNDi will aim to jointly conduct clinical research, manage regulatory approval processes for new drugs, and collaborate globally to secure research funding and resources. Hyundai Bio will grant DNDi a non-exclusive license to support the global application of Xafty.
Xafty, a niclosamide-based candidate, has been recognized in previous studies for its broad-spectrum antiviral activity. Notably, as there are currently no FDA- (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) or EMA- (European Medicines Agency) approved specific dengue treatments, developing Xafty as an economical and effective treatment option is of great importance, making this collaboration highly meaningful.
In December 2024, Hyundai Bio received approval from the Science, Technology, and Training Department (ASTT) under the Vietnam Ministry of Health (MOH) for a clinical trial of Xafty for dengue fever. In January this year, the company received approval for the clinical trial protocol from Vietnam’s Central Ethics Committee (EC).
DNDi, founded in 2003, is a non-profit research and development (R&D) organization focused on developing treatments for neglected patients. DNDi has collaborated with more than 200 global health organizations and research partners worldwide, including major pharmaceutical industry players, the World Health Organization, Ministries of Health, and endemic-country research institutions like Fiocruz or the Indian Council for Medical Research. Through partnerships, DNDi secures funding for drug development and conducts clinical trials, and has delivered 13 innovative treatments, including therapies for sleeping sickness, pediatric HIV, and Chagas disease.
DNDi is a founding member of the Dengue Alliance, a global partnership led by institutions from dengue-endemic countries which is advancing urgently needed pre-clinical research, testing the efficacy of repurposed drug candidates, and implementing clinical trials of the most promising potential dengue treatments. The Dengue Alliance members also coordinate efforts to help overcome knowledge gaps, expedite clinical research and regulatory review, address unmet needs in diagnostics, mobilize resources, and share research knowledge openly.
This Hyundai-DNDi collaboration is expected to accelerate the development of Xafty with the ultimate aim of improving access to novel treatments in low- and middle-income countries.
Hyundai Bio CEO Sang-Ki Oh stated, ‘This collaboration is expected to serve as a significant turning point in the development of a Xafty-based dengue virus treatment and in improving global health. Jointly developing and distributing a dengue fever treatment with DNDi fulfills our corporate social responsibility and aligns with our ESG management strategy. We plan to rapidly secure global research funding and expand our clinical network to supply a safe and effective dengue fever treatment at an affordable price to low- and middle-income countries.‘
Dr Isabela Ribeiro, DNDi Viral Diseases Cluster Director, commented: ‘Despite 2024 being a record year for dengue cases, there is no treatment for this deadly disease. With its partners in the Dengue Alliance, DNDi aims to accelerate the development of treatments for this climate-sensitive neglected disease, so that the innovation we are seeing in vaccines and vector control is accompanied by similar progress in therapeutics. We hope this collaboration with Hyundai Bio provides a catalyst for such an advance.‘
About Hyundai Bioscience
Hyundai Bioscience is a biotechnology company that develops new drugs based on its novel drug delivery system technologies to deliver active ingredients safely and efficiently to targeted areas of the human body. Founded in 2000, Hyundai Bioscience focuses on repurposing or expanding indications of existing drugs using its proprietary organic-inorganic hybrid technologies. Hyundai Bioscience is a public company listed on KOSDAQ (symbol: 048410) in South Korea.
About DNDi
The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a not-for-profit medical research organization that discovers, develops, and delivers safe, effective, and affordable treatments for neglected people. DNDi is developing medicines for sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, river blindness, mycetoma, dengue, paediatric HIV, advanced HIV disease, cryptococcal meningitis, and hepatitis C. Its research priorities include children’s health, gender equity and gender-responsive R&D, and diseases impacted by climate change. Since its creation in 2003, DNDi has joined with public and private partners across the globe to deliver thirteen new treatments, saving millions of lives.
Contact Information
Hyundai Bioscience Public Relations Team
Email: contact@hyundaibioscience.com
Website: www.hyundaibioscience.com
DNDi Communications Team
Frédéric Ojardias (Geneva)
+41 79 431 6216
fojardias@dndi.org
Photo credit: Xavier Vahed-DNDi
