SK partners with Hilleman Lab to develop advanced Ebola vaccine

[Courtesy of SK Bioscience]

SK Bioscience Co. and Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based vaccine research organization., entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly develop a second-generation Zaire Ebola virus vaccine, according to the South Korean biopharmaceutical firm on Wednesday.

Established in 2009, Hilleman Laboratories is an equal-joint venture between US drug maker Merck & Co. Inc. and British charitable foundation Wellcome Trust. The organization has been dedicated to developing programs for cost-effective use of vaccines in developing countries, as well as research and development for medicinal products.

The recent partnership will aim to develop an advanced vaccine for the Zaire Ebola virus. The two partners agreed to supply the vaccines to low-to-middle-income countries once the vaccine is successfully developed.

SK Bioscience will mass produce the vaccines at its plant in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, for global supply.