The Genesis of Penicillin

Beyond Discovery, Toward Treatment, The Birth of Penicillin

Penicillin was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, but it was Howard Walter Florey and Ernst Boris Chain who led its development into a treatment used in modern medicine. 

Fleming applied penicillin in clinical research to treat infections caused by bacteria such as staphylococci, but it showed little effect. Even when applied to patients undergoing amputation, the results were limited, and many ultimately died from sepsis. Fleming concluded that penicillin was ineffective in the human body and discontinued his research. 

 Drug Repurposing

Rediscovering Forgotten Treatments 

It was Howard Florey and Ernst Chain who resumed research on penicillin, which had long been overlooked. They decided to revisit Fleming’s earlier work and, in doing so, discovered that his studies lacked sufficient consideration of dosage and administration methods. 

Building on these findings, they corrected these limitations and resumed research on penicillin. In May 1940, they successfully demonstrated its efficacy in animal studies. By August of the same year, clinical trials were conducted on patients infected with staphylococci, and in 1943, mass production of penicillin was achieved

Howard Florey

Ernst Chain

Drug Development at a Crossroads

Drug Development Facing Its Limits 

Until 2019, niclosamide was in a situation similar to that of penicillin when Fleming halted his research. Originally developed by Bayer in Germany in 1953, niclosamide had demonstrated antiviral activity against a wide range of viruses. 

Although its mechanism—based on autophagy—was identified in a Nature publication in 2019, its development remained limited. Ultimately, its low bioavailability could not be overcome, making it difficult to advance as a repurposed therapeutic. 

Breakthrough in Niclosamide
Commercialization by 
Hyundai Bioscience

Hyundai Bioscience has successfully improved the bioavailability of niclosamide through its proprietary drug delivery technology. 

Starting with COVID-19 and in response to future pandemics, we developed XAFTY®, a broad-spectrum antiviral applicable to a wide range of viruses. 

New Name for CP-COV03

XAFTY®

XAFTY® is a combination of "Fast Treatment", representing rapid therapeutic action, and "Evoke Safety", conveying a sense of safety. The name is also inspired by "Djéhuti", the ancient Egyptian god symbolizing knowledge and science. XAFTY® activates intracellular autophagy to suppress viral replication and promote rapid viral clearance. This mechanism enables fast symptom improvement, while its safety is supported by the long-standing global use of its active ingredient. 

The Beginning of Therapeutic Innovation

XAFTY® is not just a COVID-19 treatment. It is a next-generation broad-spectrum antiviral developed using Hyundai Bioscience’s proprietary drug delivery system, based on niclosamide, with a mechanism capable of eliminating a wide range of viruses. 

Through the commercialization of XAFTY®, a treatment designed to respond to future pandemics, we are committed to completing clinical development—regardless of challenges—and to bringing the world’s first broad-spectrum antiviral to life in Korea.