Samsung-Moderna agreement may accelerate Korea's vaccine hub vision

President Moon Jae-in, center, poses with Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim, left and Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel during a vaccine partnership event held between Korea and the United States at a hotel in Washington, D.C., May 22. Yonhap

Two companies sign deal to produce vaccines in Songdo factory

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung Biologics signed an agreement with U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna to manufacture its COVID-19 vaccine at Samsung's plant in Korea during President Moon Jae-in's visit to the U.S. capital, the two companies announced Saturday (local time).

At a time when Korea has gone all out to secure enough COVID-19 vaccine supplies, the deal apparently raised expectations that the domestic vaccine supply will be scaled up and the Moon Jae-in administration's vision to nurture the country to become the vaccine manufacturing hub of Asia will be fulfilled.

However, some say it is too early to praise the agreement or attribute it to Korea's high level of biotechnology, since Samsung Biologics and Moderna signed a “fill and finish” production deal, which signifies the filling of vials with drug substances and not the entire drug manufacturing process.

Moderna is producing its COVID-19 vaccine using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. The vaccine is known to have a higher efficacy rate than other vaccines produced using different methods.

In a joint press release, the two companies said, “Samsung Biologics will provide large scale, commercial fill-finish manufacturing for mRNA-1273, Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.” Based in the Songdo district of Incheon, Samsung Biologics is the world's largest contract-based drug manufacturer.

“Upon execution of the deal, technology transfer will commence immediately at Samsung Biologics' facilities in Incheon, South Korea, utilizing a state-of-the-art production line equipped for aseptic fill-finish, labeling, and packaging services to support the production of hundreds of millions of doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine intended for supply outside the U.S. starting in the third quarter of 2021,” they added.

The two companies inked the deal during a vaccine partnership event between Korea and the U.S. in Washington, D.C., with President Moon in attendance.

This photo shows Samsung Biologics' drug product manufacturing process, provided by the company, Sunday. Courtesy of Samsung Biologics

Given other COVID-19 vaccines, such as AstraZeneca and Novavax, are manufactured in Korea by SK Group's drug-manufacturing affiliate, SK Bioscience, the Samsung-Moderna deal means “Korea is getting closer to becoming the global hub for the production of vaccines,” Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Sung-wook said.

On the sidelines of the partnership event in the U.S., the Korean government held an online briefing at the government complex in Sejong, Sunday.

In response to a question asking if Moderna's vaccine produced by Samsung here could be provided to Korean nationals, Jung Eun-young, a director at the Ministry of Health and Welfare said, “The government will negotiate with a supplier so that domestically-produced vaccines can be supplied to the country.”

When asked if Samsung Biologics' contract with Moderna was only a simple manufacturing process compared to drug substance manufacturing contracts between the U.S. firm and Swiss biotechnology firm Lonza, the director said it signified that Korea can engage in the contract-based manufacture of mRNA vaccines.

“It is meaningful that the deal has a foundation for contract-based production of mRNA in Korea for the first time rather than saying it is a simple process other than a drug substance manufacturing contract. In the long run, the agreement is expected to have a positive impact on securing an mRNA vaccine,” Jung said.

Moderna's mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is undergoing a licensing review procedure here. On May 10, a panel under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said the company's vaccine showed more than a 94 percent efficacy rate and was eligible for use.

An official from the trade ministry said, “The government has confirmed that Moderna is willing to establish a vaccine production base in Korea. If the investment is made, this means the company will make efforts to hire Korean national biotechnology professionals and the government will support the investment to be made quickly.”