SK Bioscience, Gates Foundation to deepen cooperation on global health
Trevor Mundel, third from left, president of Global Health at the Gates Foundation; Chey Chang-won, forth from left, vice chairman of SK discovery; and Ahn Jae-yong, fifth from left, CEO of SK Bioscience, pose with other officials after a meeting on global health projects in Seoul. Courtesy of SK Bioscience
SK Bioscience, the biotech arm of Korea's SK Group, said Thursday it will expand cooperation with the Gates Foundation on next-generation preventive medicines, with a focus on research and development (R&D) for pandemic preparedness.
Officials from SK Bioscience and the foundation held a meeting in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss collaboration on vaccine development and global public health projects, the company said in a press release. The meeting came amid Bill Gates' ongoing trip to Korea that began Wednesday.
The two sides have previously worked together on several projects, including the development of vaccines for typhoid and pediatric diarrhea, as well as other antiviral preventive solutions, it said.
One of their key achievements was the joint development of SKYCovione, Korea's first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, which was commercialized for domestic use in 2022.
Gates, who has led global initiatives on climate change, poverty reduction and public health through the foundation, is visiting Korea to explore possible cooperation with local pharmaceutical companies on a vaccine supply project for low-income countries, according to industry sources.
The co-founder of Microsoft met with President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday to discuss cooperation on global health initiatives, the presidential office said.
Gates said he expects Korea to play an important role in the efforts through innovative products in vaccines and diagnostic equipment.
"The growth of the bioscience sector here in Korea is very impressive," as seen in the research at the International Vaccine Institute, he said, citing his foundation's cooperation with SK Bioscience and LG.