EuBiologics, GC Biopharma to jointly produce cholera vaccine

South Korea's EuBiologics Co., the world's leading cholera vaccine company, has signed a joint production agreement with GC Biopharma Corp. to produce vaccines together.

EuBiologics announced on Friday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GC Biopharma to carry out the final production process of the oral cholera vaccine Euvichol at GC Biopharma's factory in Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province.

Under the terms of this agreement, EuBiologics will produce the bulk vaccine, while GC Biopharma will handle the filling and packaging.

EuBiologics is the only company that supplies cholera vaccines to the global public market through UNICEF. The supply is expected to begin in the first half of next year.

In recent times, due to climate change leading to frequent droughts and floods, cholera outbreaks have increased worldwide, and the supply of vaccines has not been able to keep up with the demand. According to the industry, next year's supply is expected to increase by over 30% compared to this year.

EuBiologics aims to increase its sales by partnering again with GC Biopharma, with whom it had a production collaboration in 2016-2017. This partnership also presents an opportunity for GC Biopharma to increase factory operations, which had declined after the transition of COVID-19 into an endemic phase.

Write to Jeong Min Nam at peux@hankyung.com