Enter 2021.01.20 18:25 | Revision 2021.01.20 18:48
文 “We will actively support technology transfer administration”
靑 “We will accelerate the speed of securing vaccine sovereignty by securing original technology”
Taewon Choi “Give me permission. I can go out at the end of February”
文 “With domestic production and supply, it will be much smoother”
President Moon Jae-in visited the SK Bioscience plant on the 20th day of the first coronavirus infection (Corona 19) confirmed in Korea and said, “As a contract between NovaVax and SK Bioscience was promoted, in addition to the vaccine for 56 million people secured so far The possibility of securing an additional 20 million vaccines has opened up,” he expressed his gratitude to SK Group and Chairman Taewon Choi.
President Moon, who entered the manufacturing facility, said to SK Chairman Choi Tae-won, “Is this then (will you come back to Korea)” to SK Chairman Tae-won Choi. Chairman Choi said, “What goes out in February is in production. If you give permission, you can go out at the end of February. (Production) is done.”
SK Biosciences is consigned to producing two vaccines, AstraZeneca and NovaVax. Both types of vaccines have not yet obtained vaccination licenses from the US FDA as well as the Korean Food and Drug Administration. Chairman Choi’s statement was read to mean that it will be available if the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety gives permission for vaccination in February.
President Moon replied, “If you have permission, you can supply it and inoculate it right away.”, and Chairman Choi said, “(Vaccine coming through the nose box) is already here.” President Moon said, “It is not transported from foreign countries, but is produced and supplied by SK directly in Korea, so the supply will be much smoother.”
President Moon immediately made a video call with Stanley Erck, CEO of NovaVax, and said, “Vaccines are the biggest hopes for people all over the world to fight the corona.” “I heard the good news that NovaVax is also going to make good results soon. “How is it going on?”
Accordingly, CEO Erck explained, “We are conducting phase 3 in three countries, including South Africa, the United States, and the United Kingdom, and we expect to prove the effectiveness within a few weeks.”
President Moon asked again, “SK Bioscience will be able to become a great partner of NovaVax with excellent technology and advanced facilities.” “It’s going well,” he said.
President Moon said, “I look forward to the rapid completion of the contract in progress,” and “The Korean government will also actively provide administrative support necessary for the production and supply of vaccines according to technology transfer.”
It seems that President Moon made a video call with Representative Erck on that day to discuss the’technology transfer contract’. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, SK Bioscience, and NovaVax signed a three-way letter of intent (MOU) for technology transfer in August last year, but the contract has not yet reached.
An official from the Blue House said, “The contract is now in the final stage.”
When the’technology transfer’ contract is concluded, SK Bioscience will be able to produce additional vaccines for NovaVax through technology transfer. The official said, “The amount of additional pre-purchased by the government is 20 million people,” he said. “I think it could be (the technology transfer contract is finalized) within this month.”
With the success of the contract with NovaVax, if an additional 20 million people are secured, Korea will secure a total of 76 million vaccines. An official at the Blue House explained, “The NovaVax vaccine is easier to store and distribute than other vaccines,” he said. “We have secured a stable vaccine not only this year but also next year.” In addition, he said, “If we secure the source technology of synthetic antigen method through technology transfer, we will be able to contribute to accelerating the speed of securing vaccine sovereignty.”
President Moon waved his hand toward the screen as he finished talking with the CEO of Erck on the same day, and the Blue House said that he waved and smiled the same.