Korea joins global clinical trial networks to sharpen pandemic response

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Commissioner Lim Seung-kwan outlines measures to advance Korea's infectious disease crisis management system at the National Biobank of Korea in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Yonhap

Korea is expanding its role in global infectious disease research, joining international clinical trial networks led by U.S. and Singaporean institutions in a move aimed at strengthening preparedness for future pandemics and other public health threats.

The National Institute of Infectious Diseases, under the Korea National Institute of Health affiliated with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), said Thursday that it has established frameworks to support Korean medical institutions participating in multinational infectious disease clinical trials through partnerships with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National University of Singapore.

The initiative is designed to give Korean hospitals a greater role in international studies targeting emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, while building long-term clinical research capacity.

The institute said it first joined the NIH-supported STRIVE network in 2023 and later established cooperation with the National University of Singapore's Asia Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Network in 2024.

Through those partnerships, Korean medical institutions have gained access to international collaborative clinical studies and expanded opportunities to contribute to research addressing major public health challenges.

One key project is the RAPID clinical trial, a multinational study led by the National University of Singapore that evaluates whether early diagnosis and rapid treatment can improve outcomes for patients with infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Since October 2025, four Korean hospitals — Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital and Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital — have been enrolling patients in the study.

The NIH-backed STRIVE program, which supports clinical research in 34 countries, focuses on developing treatments for respiratory infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

Korean institutions previously participated in two COVID-19 clinical trials under the program and are currently conducting a prospective observational study involving immunocompromised patients with severe acute respiratory infections.

KDCA Commissioner Lim Seung-kwan said establishing a foundation for participation in international clinical trial networks is a critical step in preparing for future infectious disease crises.

He said the agency will continue expanding cooperation with global research institutions and supporting Korean medical centers in international clinical research to strengthen the country's response capabilities.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.