(Yicai Global) Jan. 10 -- Shares of China's Cosunter Pharmaceutical surged after the hepatitis treatment manufacturer revealed that a study of its Covid-19 medicine candidate developed by its unit suggests the drug is more effective than Pfizer's antiviral pill hit Paxlovid.

Cosunter [SHE: 300436] jumped 11.1 percent to close at CNY46.40 (USD6.90).

The new drug cocktail, which involves a combination of small molecule drug GST-HG171 and HIV medication ritonavir, has terrific effects against the novel coronavirus in phase one clinical trial, enabling study participants to test negative sooner than their counterparts who took Pfizer's Paxlovid or placebo, the Fuzhou-based firm said in a statement yesterday. 

The American company's Paxlovid, approved for emergency use in China in February, and other antiviral Covid-19 treatments have been in high demand in the Asian country since early December due to a quick increase in the number of people contracting Covid-19. 

The good safety and tolerance proven in Cosunter's trial should be key in supporting future marketing, the company said, without disclosing a go-to-market roadmap. The results are based on a trial of 61 participants in Guangzhou and Shenzhen between Nov. 22 and Dec. 29. The research had limited samples, Cosunter said, adding it will strictly follow the official requirements to finish the necessary tests to apply for drug registration.

Consunter added that the GST-HG171, a protease inhibitor, is highly effective in restraining several variants of the virus, including the beta, and delta, as well as the two omicron variants of BA.4 and BA.5.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi