SK bioscience to get up to $140 mn from CEPI for mRNA vaccine research

[Photo by Yonhap]

South Korea’s SK bioscience will receive up to $140 million in R&D expenses from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) under their fresh partnership agreement for the development of mRNA vaccines to quickly respond to infectious diseases.

Earlier, the company conducted a preclinical study on its mRNA vaccine platform using the Covid-19 virus with $2 million funded by the foundation.

SK bioscience will initially use the new fund for research to develop mRNA vaccines against Japanese encephalitis and Lassa fever.

The purpose of the agreement is that SK bioscience, which has secured the latest vaccine platform technologies such as cell culture, bacterial culture, and genetic recombination, expands its portfolio including the mRNA platform technology and establishes an R&D system that can prevent existing or unknown viruses in the future with global institutions, according to the company’s news release.

Under the agreement, up to $40 million in initial funding will be made available to support phase 1/2 clinical trials of two mRNA vaccine platform projects. Pending results from phase 1/2 studies, a further $100 million in funding could be made available to support late-stage trials/licensure to further validate the mRNA platform and have it ready for use in outbreak situations.

SK bioscience and CEPI also agreed to expand cooperation on developing various vaccines based on the mRNA platform to respond to the spread of infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries.

SK bioscience said it will incase its global presence by strengthening its portfolio with the mRNA vaccine platform and by developing new pipeline such as RSV vaccines, CMV vaccines, and anti-cancer vaccines using the mRNA platform.

Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI said, “We are racing against the clock now, because we don’t know when the next pandemic virus will emerge. Key to making a future free of pandemics a reality is the ability to rapidly respond to the next Disease X with new vaccines and other countermeasures in just 100 days. CEPI’s expanded partnership with SK bioscience will help kick start the world’s efforts to validate these mRNA platform technologies so that they can be used to create a library of vaccines ready for use against the next Disease X, bringing us another step closer achieving the 100 Days Mission, and preparing the world for the next pandemic.”

Chang Won Chey, Vice Chairman of SK discovery said, “We all agree that speed is the most important factor to protect humanity from the next life-threatening pandemic. Based on cooperation with global initiatives, including CEPI, we will achieve innovative vaccine development and ultimately contribute to promoting global public health.”

[ⓒ Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]