COVID-19 vaccine, which SK secures technologies, produces, and sells, will be supplied to South Korea. Korea is expected to be able to secure the COVID-19 vaccine in Korea without relying on imports of finished products with high global supply and demand volatility.
SK Bioscience made an announcement on Feb. 16 that it will produce its own COVID-19 vaccine called 'NVX-CoV2373' that waits for approval of use in the U.S. and EU, and signed a license-in contract with Novavax, a U.S. bio company, and signed a contract with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) to supply the vaccine.
Under the contract, SK Bioscience will have the right to produce, license and sell the synthetic antigen-based COVID-19 vaccine "NVX-CoV2373" after taking over the Novavax-developed technology.
According to the contract signed with the KDCA, a total of 40 million doses for 20 million people will be supplied to South Korea through technology transfer.
SK Bioscience is expected to start production of domestic supplies immediately through this contract as it has completed production of original solution and process technology of 'NVX-CoV2373' after signing CDMO (Consignment Development Production) contract with Novavax in August last year.
Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine, which is widely used not only in developed countries but also in underdeveloped countries due to its high effectiveness and convenience in distribution, is used in existing vaccines such as influenza (flu), hepatitis B, and cervical cancer vaccines and has been developed in a synthetic antigen method.
Unlike the mRNA vaccine, which is managed at ultra-low temperatures of minus 20 to 70 degrees, the synthetic antigen vaccine can be stored in refrigerated conditions of 2 to 8 degrees, so it can be distributed using the existing vaccine logistics network and the process of thawing at the inoculation stage is unnecessary.
Compared to the COVID-19 vaccine, which was developed in another way, long-term storage is expected to be possible for one to three years, which has the advantage of being able to inoculate this year's supplies even after next year.
Recently, clinical results have confirmed the excellent prevention effect of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine and the blocking effect for mutant viruses.
Novavax announced last month that the NVX-CoV2373 clinical phase 3 test, which was conducted in 15,000 adults aged 18 to 84 in the UK, showed an average preventive effect of 89.3%.
It also showed 95.6 percent prevention effect, higher than the mRNA vaccine, which is considered the most effective for the original COVID-19 virus that did not cause mutations.
It is also the first vaccine currently under development for mutant viruses in Britain and South Africa to confirm 85.6% and 60% of preventive effects, respectively.
"We are pleased to expand our partnership for the global supply of the NVX-CoV2373," said Novavax CEO Stanley Erck. "We share the urgent need to supply safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to humans around the world, including South Korea."
Ahn Jae-yong, CEO of SK Bioscience, said, "It is meaningful that we have secured technology itself, not just purchasing products, and have taken the initiative to overcome pandemics at the national level."
