COVID-19: Korean CMO’s ability: Contract production of mRNA vaccine

COVID-19: Korean CMO’s ability: Contract production of mRNA vaccine

2021/01/04

Vaccine securing competition:

The whole world is in the midst of vaccination.

In particular, two vaccines with a confirmed immune effect of 90% or more.

The competition to secure vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna is fierce.

Korean CMO:

However, South Korea does not have a company (CMO, contract manufacturing agency) that manufactures vaccines for both companies.

Why can’t Korean companies even make contract production of this vaccine?

Conventional vaccine:

Vaccines are manufactured using viruses that have been detoxified.

The principle of injecting some proteins into the human body to induce an immune response.

Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines:

However, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are made differently.

It induces “an immune response by the gene (mRNA) that induces this protein formation” rather than the viral protein.

Safer than other vaccines, but difficult to manufacture.

Korea SK Bioscience:

Korean companies have never mass-produced mRNA vaccines.

The Novavax AstraZeneca vaccine produced by SK Bioscience on a contract basis is

Novavax uses protein,
AstraZeneca uses a virus,
The above is not an mRNA vaccine.

Samsung Biologics Korea:

Samsung Biologics, a leading Korean contract manufacturing company, has never produced a vaccine.

Currently, it produces only therapeutic agents for new coronavirus infections.

Currently, there is no company in South Korea equipped with an mRNA vaccine production facility.

Chosun Online | Chosun Ilbo

http://www.chosunonline.com/m/svc/article.html?contid=2021010480277

Moderna Expected to Rely on CMOs in Asia for Vaccine Production – Businesskorea

http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=57726

Pfizer and BioNTech announce application for manufacturing and marketing approval of COVID-19 vaccine in Japan

https://www.pfizer.co.jp/pfizer/company/press/2020/2020_12_18.html

Supply of new coronavirus infection vaccine in Japan in partnership with Moderna and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare

https://www.takeda.com/jp/newsroom/newsreleases/2020/20201029-8211/