SK bioscience signs manufacturing deal with MSD for Ebola vaccine candidate

SK bioscience inked a manufacturing deal with MSD for an Ebola vaccine candidate.

From left, Sanat Chattopadhyay, executive vice president of MSD, Park Min-soo, vice minister of the Health and Welfare Ministry, and Chey Chang-won, vice chairman of SK discovery, take a photo after signing a vaccine manufacturing deal in Jongno District, central Seoul. [SK BIOSCIENCE]

SK bioscience inked a manufacturing deal with MSD for an Ebola vaccine candidate.

Under the contract manufacturing organization (CMO) deal, the New Jersey-based company will transfer technology for the candidate to SK bioscience so that the Korean company can make it at the L House, its vaccine manufacturing site in Andong, North Gyeongsang.

MSD has been developing a Zaire Ebola virus vaccine candidate, an updated version of its existing one, in collaboration with Hilleman Laboratories Singapore with the goal of increasing production process productivity and improving the product's thermostability.

Ebola virus is a rapidly progressive, severe and transmissible hemorrhagic illness caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus species. While there are six identified species, the Zaire strain has been the leading cause of outbreaks over the last 20 years. Since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976, there have been multiple outbreaks resulting in significant loss of lives and economic impact.

“This collaboration between SK bioscience and MSD is a remarkable achievement driven by our manufacturing capacity and global network built during the Covid-19 pandemic," said Chey Chang-won, vice chairman of SK discovery. "We will continue to promote human health and achieve sustainable growth through global collaborations with a shared goal of solving the vaccine supply gap between rich countries and low- and medium-income countries and increasing their accessibility to vaccines."

SK bioscience recently announced it would invest 2.4 trillion won ($1.8 billion) over five years to strengthen its vaccine and CMO businesses.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]