Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
SK Bioscience opens Korea’s largest vaccine R&D center in Incheon
SK Bioscience's Research & Process Development Center in Incheon / Courtesy of SK Bioscience
By Nam Hyun-woo
SK Bioscience on Monday completed its relocation to its new headquarters in Incheon, as the company seeks to transform its Songdo base from a manufacturing-centered site into an advanced research hub.
The company said operations have begun at its Research & Process Development Center in Songdo, Incheon. SK Bioscience invested 377.2 billion won ($256 million) in the facility, which enables vaccine research, process development and quality analysis to be conducted within a single, integrated development flow.
SK Bioscience said the center is the largest facility in Korea dedicated to vaccine research, housing specialized laboratories for next-generation vaccine platforms, including messenger RNA, recombinant protein and viral vector technologies.
At the center, the company plans to strengthen its existing portfolio, including influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, while expanding its vaccine platforms. It also aims to pursue mid- to long-term strategies, such as expanding global joint projects with international organizations including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the World Health Organization and the Gates Foundation, as well as broadening its business through cooperation with its subsidiary, IDT Biologika.
“The new center is significant as infrastructure for realizing SK Bioscience’s mid- to long-term growth strategies,” SK Bioscience CEO Ahn Jae-yong said. “Building on this foundation, we will continue to drive innovation as we strive to grow into a global company.”