"Vaccine Development, Support Until the End" Implies 'Accumulation of Experience and Supply Leverage' Multiple Strategies

President Moon Visits SK Bioscience to Encourage Researchers
Expresses Willingness to Actively Support While Emphasizing In-House Development

President Moon Jae-in visited SK Bioscience, a COVID-19 vaccine development company located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on the afternoon of the 15th, and received an explanation about the research facilities from Lee Geon-se, head of the SK Bioscience research team.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Nearly ten months have passed since the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) was first reported worldwide at the end of December last year, and the development of treatments and vaccines has come into sight. Drugs originally developed for other purposes have already been approved as COVID-19 treatments, and vaccines, which are difficult to develop, are in the final stages of clinical trials in some countries. Although some global pharmaceutical companies have hesitated due to side effects during vaccine clinical trials, experts point out that this is a normal process considering the numerous trials and errors typically experienced during drug development.

With President Moon Jae-in visiting COVID-19 treatment and vaccine development sites on the 15th to encourage efforts, interest is growing domestically about when development might be completed. Some treatments currently undergoing clinical trials are expected to be available as early as the end of this year or the beginning of next year. Vaccines, which are more challenging to develop, are likely to be available on the market by the end of next year or the year after.

Although somewhat behind advanced countries like the United States, since COVID-19 has become a global disaster, who develops first is not the most important issue. President Moon’s statement that "we will spare no support until we succeed completely" emphasizes not only delivering effective treatments and vaccines but also the importance of the experience gained during the development process.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In new drug development, all stages?from early research evaluating the efficacy of substances, through clinical trials and actual development, to approval and production?must be organically linked. In recent years, domestic pharmaceutical companies have improved their research capabilities to the extent that they have exported technology to overseas companies. However, the consensus is that there is still a long way to go in the post-development stages. A representative from the domestic pharmaceutical industry said, "It is true that the trust in Korean pharmaceutical industry is still low when it comes to clinical trials, which require enormous costs and a global network," adding, "Exporting early-stage technology means research capabilities have improved, but conversely, it indicates a lack of capacity for direct development."

The government’s active support for directly developing COVID-19 treatments and vaccines is also based on the idea that the trials, errors, and know-how gained during the development process will help future new drug development. President Moon’s use of the term "accumulation of experience" is in the same context.

According to the National Clinical Trial Support Foundation, there are currently 1,433 COVID-19-related drug clinical trials worldwide, nearly 100 more than a month ago. Of these, 1,336 are for treatments and 97 for vaccines. Domestically, there are 26 clinical trials in total, including 24 for treatments (including completed trials) and 2 for vaccines. Although leading global pharmaceutical companies, national research institutes of major advanced countries, and renowned universities worldwide are collaborating, considering that less than one in ten clinical trials typically result in a final product, the situation remains challenging.

The Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, under the Russian Ministry of Health, developed the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine "Sputnik V" with support from the country's sovereign wealth fund, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Russia became the first country in the world to approve the vaccine, sparking ongoing global controversy.<이미지:연합뉴스>

Health Authorities Emphasize 'Safety' Over 'Speed' for COVID-19 Vaccines
Encouraging Domestic Development While Securing Multiple Overseas Supply Channels

President Moon stated that the government is preparing comprehensive measures on how to supply treatments and vaccines domestically after development. Vaccines are expected to be developed first abroad, and there is a high possibility that demand to secure them early will concentrate among advanced countries. Some countries, including the United States, have already signed contracts with major pharmaceutical companies by paying in advance. South Korea is participating in the COVAX Facility, a COVID-19 vaccine joint procurement consortium, and is also negotiating with some global pharmaceutical companies. There are not many vaccine developers worldwide, and even if developed, production is complicated, making large-scale production difficult in a short period.

SK Bioscience, which President Moon visited that day, has signed contract manufacturing agreements with pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca, which are in advanced stages of development. If development succeeds in the future, it is expected that a certain amount of domestic supply can be secured. Green Cross, which quickly released treatments during the past H1N1 flu outbreak, also has vaccine manufacturing capabilities. However, the government has set a strategy to prioritize safety over rushing vaccination, even if overseas vaccines are developed first, due to concerns about side effects. Domestic vaccine development is also encouraged with an emphasis on safety rather than speed.

Having domestically developed medicines provides a relative advantage in supply negotiations, which is another reason for the government’s active support. Medicines go through consultation processes with regulatory authorities, and if a drug is developed within the country, there is less risk of being unilaterally pressured in supply or price negotiations. This means that having treatments and vaccines developed by Korean companies is necessary to use as leverage in future supply negotiations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.