SK Bioscience speeds up Zaire Ebola vaccine development

SK Bioscience's global research and process development center in Songdo, Incheon. (SK Bioscience)

SK Bioscience will accelerate the development of a next-generation Zaire Ebola vaccine with funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the company said Thursday.

The funding follows an agreement between US pharmaceutical giant Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. and CEPI on the Zaire Ebola vaccine, under which SK Bioscience will participate as a development partner.

Under the deal, CEPI will provide a total of $30 million to MSD, which will use the funds to support projects carried out by SK Bioscience and Hilleman Laboratories, covering areas from research and development to manufacturing process improvements and the development of vaccines for clinical trials.

Singapore-based vaccine researcher Hilleman Laboratories will lead the clinical trials of the improved vaccine, while SK Bioscience will be responsible for manufacturing drug substances and co-developing finished products with its affiliate IDT Biologika at its plant in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province.

The Zaire Ebola virus is a high-risk infectious disease with a fatality rate of around 50 percent, and recent cases of resurgence have been reported in parts of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire.

SK Bioscience said it aims to enhance supply stability and accessibility by establishing a drug-making process that improves vaccine yield and thermal stability, reflecting the challenges of delivering vaccines in regions with limited medical and logistics infrastructure.

“Global cooperation is essential in responding to deadly infectious diseases like Ebola,” SK Bioscience CEO Ahn Jae-yong said. “With CEPI’s support, we will play a pivotal role in vaccine development and production alongside global partners, in pursuit of protecting human health.”