SK bioscience, a global vaccine and biotech company, introduced a new global partnership model ‘Preparing for Next Pandemic through Global Partnership’ at the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit 2023.
 
Jaeyong Ahn, CEO of SK bioscience shared the successful development history of Korea’s first COVID-19 vaccine while emphasizing the importance of global cooperation in terms of global health security. Further, he suggested a global cooperation based on the SK bioscience’s vaccine R&D and manufacturing capabilities that can be transferred to the Middle East in the future.
 
Mr. Ahn said, “SK bioscience can transplant vaccine manufacturing facilities, technologies, and products to any countries in need based on the accumulated experiences in R&D and manufacturing we have been building. A bilateral partnership can be established if the country in need is willing to provide funds, human resources, and overall environments with collaboration of global initiatives.”
 
Mr. Ahn also emphasized the partnership that supplies necessary vaccines in the region during normal times and quickly switching to an emergency vaccine manufacturing system in the pandemic period is possible once the facilities and the technologies are transferred to countries where insufficient infrastructure still exists.  
 
Mr. Ahn said, “The world has experienced the human and economic loss and the crisis of the society in the national level that the pandemic has caused. It is a time to think about the self-sufficiency of vaccines in terms of national security. Above all else, the cooperation model we propose requires strong will and dedication from governments in each country and is only achievable when there is reasonable compensation for participating initiatives.”
 
He explained that the region-based vaccine development technologies and manufacturing facilities established together with SK bioscience will help the growth of the bio industry in the country in the mid- and long-term and complete the value chain with the ability to commercialize its own vaccines, ultimately contributing to the health security of neighboring regions beyond the national level.
 
SK bioscience is promoting the ‘Glocalization’ business based on its R&D and manufacturing capabilities. Under the project, SK bioscience plans to contribute to resolving the inequitable access of vaccines in low- and middle- income countries with lack of infrastructure, and further create social and economic values by pioneering new markets for self-developed vaccines.