Two Korean drugmakers to lead global flu vaccine market

By Choi Sung-jin

Green Cross and SK Chemical will likely be two leaders in global markets for up-to-date influenza vaccines next year, government officials said Friday.

On Thursday, SK Chemical won official approval for its quadrivalent influenza vaccine _ which can prevent four types of flu with just one inoculation _ made by a cell-culture method for the first time, different from previous formulas using fertile chicken eggs, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

SK’s success came on the heels of an accomplishment by Green Cross on Nov. 26, which developed a similar vaccine using fertile eggs for the first time in the country.

The two Korean firms will likely stage a fierce sales battle with GlaxoSmithKline, which has all but monopolized quadrivalent vaccine markets, the officials said. Most of the existing vaccines have been able to prevent only three types of flu but the World Health Organization and other international health agencies are now recommending the new vaccine that can ward off four influenzas with a single shot.

SK’s vaccine based on the cell-culture method is drawing particular attention as people with allergies to chicken eggs can have injections without worries, and it is also capable of mass production, although its relatively high price will be a disadvantage.

“We will begin to supply the new vaccine to domestic and foreign markets next year,” said a Green Cross executive. “For the first time in Asia, we will also apply to the WHO for prequalification of our quadrivalent influenza vaccine.”

A ministry official also said the government would support the development and commercialization of the vaccines to cope better with a possible flu pandemic and help the domestic companies get into global markets.