● SK Chemical & International Vaccine Institute (IVI) Team Up for Children’s Life-Saving Vaccine
- Gates Foundation Contributes $4.9 Million, SK Chemical & IVI Collaborate on Development of
Typhoid Vaccine
- New Typhoid Vaccine Targeting Disease Prevention for Infants Under Two Years of Age,
Clinical Trials Set for Launch Next Year
On the 21st, SK Chemical and the IVI announced that they have been awarded a stipend of $4.9 million (KRW 5.4 billion) from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fuel their coordinated development of a new typhoid vaccine.
Implementation of the $4.9 million funding commences in December this year and will continue through September 2017 and is slated for use during the initial clinical trials of the typhoid protein conjugate vaccine.*
In November 2012, SK Chemical and IVI established an MOU highlighting the cooperative manufacturing of the vaccine, quality control in technology convergence, and collaborative clinical development for WHO pre-qualification* of the vaccine. Following the completion of the technology convergence, this newly formed partnership is now underway constructing the sequence of preclinical trials along with the blueprints for the first and second clinical tests. Obtaining WHO pre-qualification after finalizing clinical tests will then proceed by vaccine manufacturing at the state-of-the-art L House vaccine factory located in the bioindustrial complex in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. The final product will be released for marketing after pricing is determined.
SK Chemical’s CEO, Inseok Lee, stated, “We are truly grateful for the kindness shown by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation so that our partnership with IVI may begin on the right foot. It is my belief that our collaboration will result in a new level of capabilities and specialization within this field that will create an advanced form of the typhoid vaccine within our scheduled timeline.”
John Morahan, Secretary General of the IVI, made a statement in which he shared his gratitude for the financial assistance of the Gates Foundation in providing a strong financial foundation for cooperative efforts with SK Chemical on the new vaccine. He continued that the mutual camaraderie in this project with Korea’s number one ‘life-science’ company, SK Chemical, will facilitate the creation of this breakthrough vaccine at an affordable price for those that are in desperate need in developing countries.
Typhoid fever is one of the body-disabling, chronic illnesses of public health that afflicts the impoverished in less fortunate nations. As a contagious disease primarily seen in substandard sanitary conditions and water supply infrastructures, it is transmitted through the consumption of contaminated water and/or food. Among the 16 to 22 million victims that contract it every year, typhoid fever claims an estimated 160,000 to 170,000 lives.
Despite the presence of other typhoid vaccines and medications, infants below the age of two that are particularly vulnerable to the illness remain unprotected, and the growing resistance to current antibiotic treatments only adds to healthcare costs.
IVI has previously developed a conjugate typhoid vaccine that not only protects very young infants against the disease but shields them from the ravages of typhoid fever for a much longer period.SK Chemical’s background in the production of streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, protein conjugate vaccines exemplifies their vast technology and know-how. This convergence of IVI technology and SK Chemical’s expertise ensures the viability of commercial manufacturing of the vaccine.
[Glossary]
- Conjugate Vaccine
Vaccines produced from the use of bacteria are done so with the polysaccharide film of bacteria. Polysaccharide-based vaccines, however, are limited in both the sustained period of disease immunity and the degree of immunity that may be obtained. Conjugate vaccines then aid in alleviating this issue with a grafting of protein carriers on the polysaccharide.
- WHO PQ (prequalification)
WHO prequalification of vaccines are among the best in quality, safety and potency and denote the free purchasing of authorized vaccines by UN organizations.
- Organization / Company Profile
*IVI
IVI (International Vaccine Institute) is the first Korea-based INGO and the global proprietor of the development and supply of new vaccines, especially those for children that provide immunity from communicable diseases. Following its initial establishment in 1997 under the UN Development Program, the IVI is now a separate entity from the UN and functions as a signature founder of the World Health Organization (WHO) along with 35 other nations around the globe. The IVI pursues several forms of vaccine research pertaining to dysentery, Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever in approximately 20 different nations located in Asia, including the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Africa and South America. With its headquarters at Seoul National University Research Park, the IVI pursues development in vaccines, immune boosters and analysis. For further information, visit www.ivi.int.
*SK Chemical
As a research-oriented company offering solutions in ‘total healthcare’ covering all boundaries from prevention to treatment, SK Chemical is on the cusp of entrance into the global market fueled by a stocked resume including technology that meets global standards, vaccines, blood medications, new drugs and modified versions of existing medications. SK Chemical is in ownership of Korea’s first cell culture manufacturing plant in the bioindustrial complex located in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. Current final clinical research is being concentrated on a shingles vaccine, a pneumococcus conjugate vaccine and a vaccine for chicken pox.