● SK bioscience - Ministry of Health and Welfare - AstraZeneca signed a trilateral letter of intent for cooperation in the global supply of the COVID-19 vaccine

- Joint trilateral cooperation for stable production and global supply of COVID-19 vaccine
- Reached a CMO agreement with AstraZeneca for the production of COVID-19 vaccine candidate in Korea


SK bioscience (CEO Ahn Jae-yong), a subsidiary of SK chemicals, announced on the 21st that it has signed a trilateral letter of intent for cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and AstraZeneca for the global supply of AZD1222, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

AZD1222, the world’s first candidate COVID-19 vaccine to enter Phase III clinical trials among those announced by the WHO, is being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University in the UK.

This trilateral letter of intent for cooperation included trilateral cooperation regarding △fast and stable production and global supply of AZD1222, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, △expanding production capacity to respond to increasing demand, and △improvement of health through domestic supply efforts.

SK bioscience, one of AstraZeneca＇s global partners, will participate in the manufacture of AZD1222. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, which facilitated early discussions between the two companies, plans to support cooperation in rapidly implementing vaccine production and export.

Also, cooperation between AstraZeneca and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for reviewing the introduction of AZD1222 vaccine in Korea will begin.

The letter of intent (LOI) was signed at SK bioscience R&D Center in Pangyo by Ahn Jae-yong, CEO of SK bioscience, Park Neung-hoo, the Minister of Health and Welfare; and Kim Sang-pyo, CEO of AstraZeneca Korea. Also attending were Simon Smith, British Ambassador to Korea and Choi Chang-won, Vice Chairman of SK discovery. Pascal Soriot, the CEO of AstraZeneca Global, attended via video conference.

In an extension of the LOI, SK bioscience signed a contract manufacturing organization (CMO) agreement with AstraZeneca to produce AZD1222.

According to the CMO agreement, SK bioscience will produce the AZD1222 stock solution for AstraZeneca through technical cooperation between the two companies. The stock solution will then be supplied globally by AstraZeneca.

SK bioscience, which possesses both the viral gene delivery technology and cell culture production technology applied to AZD1222, will discuss specific production plans with AstraZeneca and begin production of the stock solution at its vaccine plant L-House in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.

The agreement is effective from this month to the beginning of next year, and if AstraZeneca＇s vaccine development is successful, production will continue into next year.

Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca said, "AstraZeneca aims to establish the supply chain necessary to rapidly supply its vaccine globally to meet demand, and SK bioscience＇s advanced technology and rapid mass production capability are widely recognized.” He added, “Korea is one of the leading countries in managing the current pandemic situation, and we will strengthen our cooperation with Korea to provide broad and fair access to all locations where vaccines are needed.”

Ahn Jae-yong, CEO of SK bioscience, said, “Based on SK＇s accumulated vaccine R&D technology and production capacity, we are pleased to produce the COVID-19 vaccine of the world＇s most advanced global pharmaceutical company,” and he added, “We will cooperate with the government＇s policy of taking a two-track strategy of domestic development and imports to obtain COVID-19 vaccine in a short period.”

Meanwhile, SK bioscience is also focusing its efforts on developing its own COVID-19 vaccine.

SK bioscience plans to quickly secure its COVID-19 vaccine via its R&D capability, obtained by development of its own cell-based influenza vaccines and collaboration in vaccine development projects with leading domestic and foreign organizations.



* Photo: SK bioscience - Ministry of Health and Welfare - AstraZeneca signed a trilateral letter of intent for cooperation in the global supply of the COVID-19 vaccine