SK bioscience opts to contribute to global health security

Ahn Jae-yong, chief executive officer of SK bioscience Co. [Photo by Yonhap]

Ahn Jae-yong, chief executive officer of SK bioscience Co., on Wednesday proposed global cooperation on the development and production of vaccines in a biotechnology event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the company said Friday.

“We can help countries that are in need of vaccine manufacturing facility and technology and products based on our knowhow,” Ahn said, during his speech at the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit 2023 (RGMBS). He also shared the success of SK bioscience’s SKYCovione, South Korea’s first homegrown vaccine.

The summit, which is the second this year, allows bio industry officials around the world including the U.S. and Europe to share R&D outlook and investment strategies.

Ahn noted that global partnerships can help produce vaccines for supply to countries in need and in pandemic times and contribute to health security.

SK bioscience is engaged in “glocalization,” which involves the company transferring development and manufacturing capabilities to governments and partner companies to help them to set up a vaccine infrastructure.

The vaccine maker is in talks with countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia and plans to expand regions for the project.