SK Bioscience and Novavax Collaborate on Vaccine Production to Combat Omicron Variant

Contract Signed for Vaccine Bulk and Finished Product Manufacturing CMO

President Ahn Jae-yong of SK Bioscience (right) and John Herman, Chief Legal Officer of Novavax, are signing the CMO contract.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] SK Bioscience, which succeeded in developing Korea's first domestic COVID-19 vaccine 'Skycovione,' is accelerating efforts to respond to variant viruses such as Omicron.

On the 19th, SK Bioscience announced that it had signed a contract for contract manufacturing (CMO) for the technology transfer of COVID-19 vaccine antigen materials and variant virus response vaccine bulk from the U.S. biotech company Novavax.

This contract is a revised agreement of the COVID-19 vaccine contract manufacturing contract signed last year, adjusted to address the recently spreading variants. SK Bioscience will receive technology transfer from Novavax for COVID-19 variant vaccines and utilize it for bulk production. The production of variant bulk will be carried out at two of the three production facilities within the Andong L-House that SK Bioscience has contracted with Novavax.

Additionally, a new CMO contract was signed to supply the variant vaccine bulk produced into a finished product in the form of a prefilled syringe. The contract size is $29.8 million (approximately 39.5 billion KRW). SK Bioscience plans to start preparing for the production of the new formulation in the second half of this year and apply it to Novavax vaccines produced at L-House from next year. The prefilled syringe is a form where the liquid is preloaded in the syringe, offering higher safety and convenience compared to the existing vial formulation. SK Bioscience is also continuing discussions to extend the contract for the contract manufacturing of Novavax vaccine bulk, which is currently contracted until the end of this year.

Through this contract, SK Bioscience and Novavax plan to respond to the pandemic caused by continuously emerging variants such as BA.5 and strengthen their cooperative relationship. Novavax aims to supply new vaccines targeting variant viruses in preparation for the resurgence of COVID-19, and SK Bioscience plans to respond to the COVID-19 endemic through its CMO business and combo, multivalent, and universal vaccines based on the platform of its self-developed vaccine Skycovione.

Stanley Erck, CEO of Novavax, said, "Analysis of clinical data so far shows that Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine has broad preventive effects against COVID-19 viruses, including Omicron BA.5," adding, "We are rapidly advancing the clinical program for the BA.5 vaccine and will work with SK Bioscience to develop and commercialize variant vaccines."

Ahn Jae-yong, President of SK Bioscience, emphasized, "At a time when challenges against new variants are necessary, we aim to once again fulfill our role as a global vaccine hub," and added, "Along with our own vaccine development, we will lead public health protection as an innovative vaccine company and partner through cooperation with various global companies."

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