South Korea’s SK bioscience Co. announced on Wednesday that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), Thailand’s state-owned pharmaceutical company to establish local vaccine production and development infrastructure in Southeast Asian country.

Under the agreement, SK bioscience and GPO will work together in the medium to long-term to promote vaccine localization in Thailand and the ASEAN region. Additionally, they will jointly build the necessary infrastructure to effectively respond to future pandemics.

As part of its commitment, SK bioscience plans to transfer the production technology of its cell-cultured influenza vaccine SKYCellflu to Thailand. This strategic move will enable GPO to receive the vaccine bulk from SK bioscience and undertake the production of finished vaccines within the country.

GPO will then navigate the required regulatory approvals and development procedures to ensure the vaccines are ready for national immunization programs.

Established in 1966, GPO has been a key player in the Thai pharmaceutical industry, supplying essential medications to meet the country’s healthcare needs. Thai public hospitals are mandated to utilize GPO products for at least 60 percent of their pharmaceutical requirements, highlighting the organization’s significance in the local healthcare landscape.

This agreement marks a major milestone for SK bioscience’s glocalization initiative, which aims to transfer research and development (R&D) capabilities and production expertise to countries lacking vaccine infrastructure.

By Pulse

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