Kwangdong Pharmaceutical "Providing Updated Medical Information on Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine"

Continuation of Partnership with Moderna

Kwangdong Pharmaceutical announced on the 13th that it will begin full-scale medical information provision activities for healthcare professionals regarding Moderna's newly updated COVID-19 vaccine, 'Spikevax X Injection,' which was recently approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Exterior view of the Kwangdong Pharmaceutical headquarters.
[Photo by Kwangdong Pharmaceutical]

Moderna's Spikevax X is a vaccine developed targeting the XBB.1.5 variant. Following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it received emergency use authorization from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 26th of last month. Moderna has released clinical data confirming neutralizing antibody responses of the monovalent vaccine targeting the XBB.1.5 variant against the XBB sublineages XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, and XBB.2.3.2, as well as emerging variants such as BA.2.86, EG.5, and FL.1.5.1. The approved vaccine is indicated for individuals aged 12 and older and is strongly recommended for the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and members of infection-vulnerable facilities.

Previously, health authorities decided to use the FDA-recommended XBB.1.5-targeted vaccine for fall and winter vaccinations in response to the spread of the new XBB lineage subvariant of COVID-19. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) also emphasized the necessity of winter vaccinations, citing an increase in hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in Europe and other regions.

Kwangdong Pharmaceutical plans to carry out various activities to provide product information on Spikevax X to domestic healthcare professionals in line with the period of increased respiratory disease infection rates. The company aims to expand its presence in the COVID-19 vaccine market based on its own sales and marketing competitiveness.

Kwangdong Pharmaceutical established its partnership with Moderna starting in November last year. This was the first case of Moderna signing a business alliance agreement with a local pharmaceutical company.

A Kwangdong Pharmaceutical official stated, "Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine has proven excellent protective efficacy and safety across all age groups, including the elderly, immunocompromised, and patients with underlying conditions, based on clinical trials and real-world evidence. It is manufactured as a single-dose vial, which enhances ease of administration in medical institutions. We will do our best to contribute to increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates and thereby promote public health through the vaccine sales expertise and hospital/clinic network that Kwangdong Pharmaceutical has built over time."