SK Bioscience to Expand South-Korean Vaccine Production Capacity
South Korea-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) SK Bioscience has broken ground on an approximately 4,200 m2 expansion of its L House vaccine manufacturing facility in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea, which will serve as the production base for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine candidate GBP410, jointly developed by SK Bioscience and Sanofi, who are co-investing in the expansion.
In June 2023, SK Bioscience and Sanofi announced positive results from a Phase 2 clinical trials evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of GBP410 in infants. The companies are currently preparing a global Phase 3 clinical trial, which is expected to be submitted for approval in 2027.
In addition to the site expansion, SK Bioscience plans to obtain cGMP certification for the new facility as soon as possible.
SK Bioscience said that the expanded facility will play a pivotal role in collaborations with global partners, as it will be constructed as a pilot plant for conducting small-scale tests before the introduction of a new process or product.
Jaeyong Ahn, CEO of SK Bioscience, said: "L House, which demonstrates global competitiveness in manufacturing capabilities, will firmly establish itself as a global vaccine hub through this expansion. We will make every effort to achieve successful development and supply of a vaccine with blockbuster potential."
Citing research by Evaluate Pharma, SK Bioscience expects the pneumococcal vaccine market to grow from $8.47 billion in 2023 to $10.3 billion by 2028.
