Company History
Since 1979, founder of CHEMAS, Ill Ju Bae, screened more than 1,000 substances to identify potential substance which could lead to the next breakthrough cancer treatment. During more than 40 years of extensive research, arsenic compound As4O6 was developed into what is now known as CM-7919. In 2000, CHEMAS Co., Ltd. was established, continuing further research and clinical trials in efforts to bring CM-7919 to patients in need.
2020 ~
| 2021. 04 | COVID-19 patent registered in South Korea – “Pharmaceutical composition comprising Tetraarsenic Hexaoxide for preventing or treating coronavirus disease(Patent number: 10-2240693)” |
| 2021. 04 | COVID-19 patent applied for PCT (153 contracting sites over the world) |
| 2021. 02 | Publish article in Cell Death & Disease – “Tetraarsenic hexoxide enhances generation of mitochondrial ROS to promote pyroptosis by inducing the activation of caspase-3/GSDME in triple-negative breast cancer cells” |
| 2021. 02 | Publish article in Scientific reports – “Arsenic hexoxide has differential effects on cell proliferation and genome‑wide gene expression in human primary mammary epithelial and MCF7 cells” |
| 2020. 10 | Publish article in Pharmaceutics – “Anti-Cancer Activity of As4O6 and its Efficacy in a Series of Patient-Derived Xenografts for Human Cervical Cancer” |
| 2020. 05 | COVID-19 patent application in South Korea – “Pharmaceutical composition comprising Tetraarsenic Hexaoxide for preventing or treating coronavirus disease” (registered April 09, 2021) |
| 2020. 02 | Launch a project to test the efficacy of As4O6 on coronavirus inhibition |
2011 ~ 2019
| 2019 | Production of API and CM-7919 DP completed |
| 2018 | Sign CMO contract with DP manufacturing facility in Europe Patent registered – “Pharmaceutical composition for prevention or treatment of cancer” Patent registered – “Pharmaceutical composition for prevention or treatment of liver cancer” Patent registered – “Pharmaceutical composition for prevention or treatment of breast cancer” |
| 2017 | Sign CMO contract with API manufacturing GMP facility in Europe Sign contract with global CRO for consulting and cancer clinical trials in Europe Patent registered – “Pharmaceutical composition for prevention or treatment of brain cancer” |
| 2016 | Start planning for clinical trials in Europe Join in partnership and build network with Korean scholars and doctors Change of company name: Chonjisan Co., Ltd. > Chemas Co., Ltd. |
| 2015 | Patent registered – “Anti-tumor vaccine having innate- and acquired immune activity and pharmaceutical composition” |
| 2013 ~ | Finish preclinical trials and apply for new drug registration in China |
| 2012 | Patent registered – “Pharmaceutical formulation having improved dissolution rate and stability for oral administration containing tetraarsenic oxide” |
2001 ~ 2010
| 2007 | Obtain approval for phase II clinical trial from Korean government(MFDS) |
| 2000 ~ 2004 | Apply international patent(PCT) for domestically registered patents |
| 2004 ~ 2005 | Phase 1 clinical trials at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea |
| 2001 ~ 2007 | Preclinical trials at GLP laboratory in South Korea |
1979 ~ 2000
| 1998 ~ 2000 | Patent registration on As4O6 |
| 1997 ~ 1999 | Completed tests on efficacy and toxicity of As4O6 |
| 1989 ~ 1994 | Treat a number of patients with terminal cancer with the newly found compound, As4O6 |
| 1979 ~ 1996 | Early stage drug development – Screening potential pharmaceutical substances, developing into a drug product |