Hanmi Pharmaceutical, ST Pharm, GC Green Cross, and Korea Innovative Medicines Consortium (KIMCo) CI participating in the K-mRNA consortium (Photo by Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association)
[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] Hanmi Pharm, ST Pharm, and GC Green Cross are forming a consortium to develop a domestically produced messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association announced on the 29th that three companies?Hanmi Pharm, ST Pharm, and GC Green Cross?have taken the lead in establishing the "Next-Generation mRNA Vaccine Platform Technology Consortium" (K-mRNA Consortium), supported by the Korea Innovative Medicines Consortium (KIMCo).
The CEOs of the three participating companies and the representative of KIMCo held the launch ceremony of the 'Next-Generation mRNA Vaccine Platform Technology Consortium' at the Koreana Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, this morning, pledging to achieve successful outcomes.
The formation of this consortium aims to unite companies with strengths in raw materials, vaccine manufacturing, and new drug development into one team to secure platform technology for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, establish a mass production system, and lay the foundation for vaccine self-sufficiency and global exports.
The K-mRNA Consortium plans to combine the capabilities of Hanmi Pharm, ST Pharm, and GC Green Cross, which play key roles in platform-based vaccine development technology, lipid nanoparticle (LNP) production, raw materials, and mass production, to realize independent vaccine development and production within two years.
Through this consortium, they intend to undertake full-cycle self-reliant development from raw materials to finished products, including mRNA vaccine development, while securing global-level production capabilities by expanding cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) production facilities.
The K-mRNA Consortium will visualize mRNA vaccine development and production in two phases. First, by 2022, they plan to secure domestic mRNA vaccine technology and produce 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, enough for two doses per person nationwide. They aim to accelerate domestic vaccine development by advancing candidate substances from the preclinical to clinical stages.
In 2023, they will establish a mass production system based on the mRNA platform vaccine, producing over 1 billion doses for both domestic use and overseas export. By 2025, they plan to develop mRNA vaccine platform-based cancer vaccines and next-generation innovative new drugs to strengthen global competitiveness.
To this end, Hanmi Pharm, ST Pharm, and GC Green Cross participating in the consortium plan to invest more than 700 billion KRW in clinical trials, key raw materials, and mass production facility construction.
Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol said, "It is very meaningful that the vaccine company council was launched on the 17th and that this consortium was formed as the first step today," adding, "The government will mobilize all capabilities to accelerate vaccine development and production and actively support efforts so that Korea can leap forward as a global vaccine powerhouse."
Won Hee-mok, chairman of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association, also stated, "As COVID-19 prolongs and new infectious diseases may emerge at any time, independent vaccine development is a core of health security and an essential condition for establishing a global vaccine hub,” adding, “Since domestic companies are joining forces to protect vaccine sovereignty and survive the global vaccine competition by promoting vaccine development, I believe the government will provide full support."
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