Biotech firm GeneOne Life Science has received approval from the South Korean government to carry on with the phase 2 clinical trial of its investigational oral drug to treat COVID-19, the company said Thursday.

GLS-1027 is an orally administered drug that could suppress the cytokine inflammations that lead to more serious lung diseases.

Korea University Guro Hospital in Seoul will lead the administration of the drug candidate for the local study.

GeneOne Life Science has been conducting phase 2 studies of the drug globally, including in the US where it received approval from the Food and Drug Administration last year. It is also conducting phase 2 clinical trials in Puerto Rico and North Macedonia.

Through the safety and efficacy tests, GeneOne Life Science aims to confirm GLS-1027‘s therapeutic effect on pneumonia caused by COVID-19 and its variants, said Joel Maslow, the firm’s chief medical officer.

Previously, GeneOne Life Science found GLS-1027 yielded a therapeutic effect against pneumonia in multiple animal tests. The company also confirmed GLS-1027 is effective against the COVID-19 beta variant in the preclinical stage.

Maslow added the orally administered medication will be able to reduce the hospitalization rate of COVID-19 patients as the drug can be administered immediately after patients are confirmed to be infected with the virus.

GeneOne Life Science CEO Park young-geun said GLS-1027 could be also applied to treat other autoimmune diseases.