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SEOUL, May 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's drug authorities on Tuesday canceled the license for the gene therapy drug Invossa for the mislabeling and the false reporting of an ingredient used, sending a shock to patients and the country's pharmaceuticals sector.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's move came after the manufacturer, Kolon Life Science, acknowledged that a substance in the joint pain treatment drug has been mislabeled since 2003, but failed to clearly explain why it had occurred.

"Kolon Life Science falsely reported ingredients used, intentionally did not disclose additional data it discovered on the problem before submitting the drug for approval and failed to provide a scientific cause for the mix-up," the ministry said.

A material used in Invossa came from a kidney cell instead of from cartilage as stated in the document submitted for approval by the drugmaker, according to the ministry.

The regulatory body said in light of the seriousness of the matter, it has asked for a criminal investigation.

At present, there have been no cases of side effects associated with Invossa, but all people who have received treatment, estimated at some 3,700 here, will be closely monitored for upwards of 15 years.

Invossa is the world's first gene therapy drug for osteoarthritis, a movable joints disorder that affects many elderly people, with patient numbers in South Korea alone estimated to be around 5 million.

Distribution of the drug that received formal approval for sale in the domestic market in July 2017 has been suspended since April this year, with authorities conducting detailed on-site inspections of Kolong's production plants and research facilities in South Korea and the United States.