'Vaccine Nobel Prize' Park Man-hoon Award, 2024 Recipient Announcement

SK Bioscience and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) announced on the 14th the selection of the 2024 recipients of the Park Man-hoon Award, known as the Nobel Prize of the vaccine industry.

2024 Park Man-hoon Award Recipients. Jan Homgren, Professor at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Barney Graham, Professor at Morehouse School of Medicine, USA; Jason McClellan, Professor at the University of Texas at Austin (from left)
[Photo by SK Bioscience]

The Park Man-hoon Award is sponsored by SK Bioscience and hosted by IVI. Established in 2021 to honor the achievements of the late Park Man-hoon, Vice Chairman of SK Bioscience and a pioneer of cell-cultured vaccines in Korea, this year marks its third edition. The recipients are selected through a review by a selection committee composed of 12 experts, based on nominations of individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to global vaccine research, development, and distribution. Notably, the first Park Man-hoon Award was given to Professor Katalin Karik? and Professor Drew Weissman for their contributions to the development of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, who later went on to receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine last year.

The Park Man-hoon Award is presented annually in two research categories. This year’s recipients are ▲ Professor Jan Holmgren of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden ▲ Professor Barney Graham of Morehouse School of Medicine, USA, and Professor Jason McLellan of the University of Texas at Austin (joint recipients). The award ceremony is scheduled to be held on the 25th of next month, coinciding with the third anniversary of the late Park Man-hoon’s passing, with the recipients visiting Korea for the event.

Professor Jan Holmgren was recognized for his success in developing the world’s first oral cholera vaccine. Professor Holmgren confirmed that immunoglobulin A (IgA), an antibody in the intestinal mucosa, effectively acts against cholera immunity and developed the first oral cholera vaccine utilizing this mechanism. In the 2000s, he collaborated with John Clemens, then Secretary-General of IVI, to develop an improved oral cholera vaccine. This vaccine maintains preventive effects for over five years and demonstrated herd immunity capable of controlling cholera outbreaks when more than 60% of the population is vaccinated. Additionally, its low cost allowed widespread distribution in low- and middle-income countries, significantly contributing to global health improvement.

Among the joint recipients, Professor Barney Graham was acknowledged for his contributions to the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapeutics through antigen design, reagent development, vaccine delivery, and manufacturing technology research. Having explored respiratory infectious diseases and emerging viruses, Professor Graham contributed to the development of the first mRNA vaccines through research on the application of DNA genetic information delivery technology. Professor Jason McLellan, a molecular biologist, was recognized for his contributions alongside Professor Graham to the development of COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines. Based on his research on the structure and function of viral and bacterial proteins, Professor McLellan devised protein design methods that are core technologies for COVID-19 and RSV vaccines. This technology is currently applied in most existing COVID-19 vaccines.

Jerome Kim, Secretary-General of IVI, stated, "Without the dedication and efforts of those selected as this year’s Park Man-hoon Award recipients, the development of urgently needed infectious disease vaccines might not have been achieved yet," and added, "IVI will continue to collaborate with SK Bioscience to support the activities of vaccine researchers worldwide and foster the industry through the Park Man-hoon Award."

SK Bioscience President Ahn Jae-yong said, “I extend my congratulations and gratitude to all this year’s Park Man-hoon Award recipients,” and added, "Following the spirit of the late Vice Chairman Park Man-hoon, who worked to improve global health including co-developing a typhoid vaccine with IVI, SK Bioscience will faithfully fulfill its responsibilities for humanity."