SK bioscience signs vaccine deal with Thai pharma firm

SK bioscience has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) to establish vaccine infrastructure in the Southeast Asian country.

From left: Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand; Mingkwan Suphannaphong, Government Pharmaceutical Organization managing director; Ahn Jae-yong, SK bioscience CEO; and Jeon Jo-young, chargé d'affaires ad interim at the Korean Embassy in Thailand, during an agreement signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand in Nonthaburi on Tuesday. [SK BIOSCIENCE]

SK bioscience has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) to establish vaccine infrastructure in the Southeast Asian country.

The deal aims to strengthen the response system against new pandemics and localize Thailand’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities which will also benefit the broader Southeast Asian region.

Following this MOU, SK bioscience and GPO will sign an agreement to transfer drug manufacturing technologies. SK bioscience will provide its cell culture-based influenza vaccine production technology to GPO for local manufacturing at the Thai company’s plant.

The GPO, established in 1966, is a state-owned pharmaceutical company that supplies medicines and vaccines. Thailand's public hospitals are required to use GPO products for at least 60 percent of the pharmaceuticals and medical devices they use.

The MOU signing ceremony was held on Thursday at the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand in Nonthaburi, attended by Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Mingkwan Suphannaphong, GPO managing director, Ahn Jae-yong, SK bioscience CEO and Jeon Jo-young, chargé d'affaires ad interim at the Korean Embassy in Thailand.

Under its “glocalization” project, SK bioscience aims to establish local production facilities in regions with limited accessibility to vaccines, by transferring production capabilities, technologies and expertise to local authorities or companies, facilitating equitable access to vaccines.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]