Three CEOs of Domestic COVID-19 Vaccine Production "Accelerate Global Hub"

Strategy Unveiled Including Expansion of mRNA Vaccines

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jung] The heads of three domestic companies entrusted with the contract manufacturing of four COVID-19 vaccines gathered in one place to reveal strategies to become a 'global vaccine hub.'

John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, which is responsible for the contract manufacturing of the U.S. Moderna vaccine, announced on the 31st of last month at the 2nd meeting of the Democratic Party's Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccines and Therapeutics held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, that "we will expand our business area to include raw materials for messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines."

They plan to expand the mRNA vaccine raw material production facilities at the existing site in Songdo, Incheon, and complete preparations for current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) by the first half of next year. CEO Rim emphasized, "Through the expanded production capacity, we will support partners to bring new mRNA vaccines and therapeutics to market at a faster pace."

The bio industry interprets that Samsung Biologics, which will begin full-scale production of the Moderna vaccine from the third quarter, plans to expand its scope to include contract manufacturing of mRNA vaccines, including raw material production, in the long term to increase its client base. Besides Moderna, the U.S. Pfizer has commercialized mRNA vaccines, and Germany's CureVac is conducting Phase 3 clinical trials. As the mRNA vaccine field diversifies beyond COVID-19 to chronic diseases, demand is expected to increase significantly.

Um Ki-an, CEO of Huons, which is responsible for the contract manufacturing of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, also attended and urged rapid approval from regulatory authorities. CEO Um said, "More than 60 countries have approved the use of the Sputnik V vaccine, but it has not yet been approved in the U.S., Europe, or Korea," adding, "We are currently at the stage of submitting a preliminary review to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and since Huons will begin domestic production from August, we ask for your attention."

Ahn Jae-yong, CEO of SK Bioscience, responsible for contract manufacturing of AstraZeneca and Novavax vaccines, stated, "Not only contract manufacturing, but our own COVID-19 vaccine currently under development will enter Phase 3 clinical trials next month," and added, "We will do our best to supply domestically produced vaccines as early as possible in the first half of next year."

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