Celltrion said Friday it has begun research for a drug candidate to fight the new coronavirus.

The company has obtained a blood sample from a patient confirmed with COVID-19.

Having discovered a drug candidate for the Middle East respiratory syndrome, the company will search for a new potential molecule that can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“We’re in the initial phase. It will take time for any results,” said a Celltrion official.

“Since viruses mutate each year, it will be difficult to develop a single vaccine that can restrain all, but we decided we cannot idly sit by in the current situation.”

Celltrion will analyze the blood sample and detect an antibody, which will first be tested on animals in the preclinical trial and then on differing number of batches of healthy and ill human patients in phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical trials.

Celltrion has applied for the governmental emergency project to develop a monoclonal antibody preclinical drug candidate for COVID-19 treatment.

As for the company’s MERS drug candidate, called CT-P38, Celltrion has finished patenting the molecule but it remains in the preclinical stage.

The company will continue researching the efficacies of CT-P38 as it launches separate research for the COVID-19 treatment candidate.

In January, Celltrion announced it was set to build China’s biggest biologics drug manufacturing facility in the city of Wuhan, before the city became known as the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak.

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