The world's first stem-cell treatment was authorized for sale in Korea last year and two more treatments using the new technology have now also received the green light.
The Korea Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said it approved Cartistem developed by Medipost for the treatment of damaged cartilage and Cupistem, an anal fistula drug by Anterogen.
Cartistem uses stem cells from other people to regenerate knee cartilage damaged by overuse or old age. But Cupistem uses patients' own stem cells from fatty tissue to treat anal fistula in Crohn's disease, which is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus.
The companies say both drugs are ready for sale immediately.
In July last year, the world's first stem-cell treatment Hearticellgram-AMI was developed by Korean biotechnology firm FCB-Pharmicell to treat the acute myocardial infarction. The drug went on sale in September and was prescribed 100 times last year.
While countries around the world are racing to gain a firm share of the burgeoning market for stem-cell treatments, 13 other stem-cell treatments for ailments like senility and damaged vertebrae are undergoing clinical trials in Korea.
