SK Bioscience, Thai’s GPO to jointly boost vaccine infrastructure

SK Bioscience Co., the drug-making unit of South Korea’s SK Group, announced on Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Thailand's state-owned pharmaceutical company, Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), aiming to bolster local vaccine production and developmental infrastructure. 

The deal signifies that both parties will engage in collaborative efforts over the medium to long term to foster vaccine localization in Thailand and across the ASEAN region. Additionally, they intend to construct an infrastructure poised to tackle new pandemics.

As part of the agreement, SK Biosciences is set to transfer the production technology of its cell culture-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine SKYCellflu to Thailand.

Upon completion of the technology transfer, GPO intends to procure SKYCellflu in bulk from SK Biosciences, manufacture the finished product, and navigate the approval and developmental process domestically in Thailand. The end product is intended for use in the country's national vaccination project.

Established in 1966 by the Thai government to further public health, GPO has been supplying pharmaceuticals to Thailand, with public hospitals mandated to use a minimum of 60% GPO products.

This partnership represents the inaugural success of 'Glocalization,' an initiative by SK Biosciences to extend R&D production infrastructure into nations with underdeveloped vaccine infrastructure.

"The collaboration will enable GPO to assimilate vaccine production technology from SK Biosciences, significantly strengthening the vaccine infrastructure within Thailand," GPO director Mingkwan Suphanpong said.

"The combined forces of SK Biosciences' technological prowess, GPO's local infrastructure, and the institutional backing of health authorities from both nations will command attention as a model of successful global partnership,"  SK Bioscience CEO Ahn Jae-yong stated.

Write to Hyun-Ah Oh at 5hyun@hankyung.com