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| Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken March 19. Reuters-Yonhap |
By Kim Yoo-chul
Samsung Biologics is set to sign an agreement with Moderna under which the Samsung Group's biotechnology affiliate will manufacture the U.S. pharmacology firm's messenger RNA (mRNA)-based COVID vaccine at its plant in South Korea, according to a high-ranking government official, Friday.
The official, with knowledge of the matter, said a government delegation is set to meet with officials of Moderna and Novavax in Washington D.C on the sidelines of the summit between President Moon Jae-in with U.S. President Joe Biden,.
"Samsung Biologics is planned to sign an MOU with Moderna, while SK Biosicence is looking to reach an agreement with Novavax. Under the agreements, the two South Korean companies will be allowed to manufacture their partner's COVID-19 vaccines. President Moon is planning to attend a signing ceremony for the deals," he said.
Details regarding the amount of vaccine Samsung Biologics could produce as well as the timing of production and possibility of technology transfers remain to be discussed in person-to-person meetings, the official added. The Korean firm is still weak in terms of having core patents for the in-house development of mRNA vaccines.
The potential Samsung-Moderna partnership comes after Seoul approved the use of the latter's COVID vaccine to speed up its vaccination program. Moderna has already signed a deal to supply up to 40 million doses of its vaccines, although delivery dates have yet to be fixed.
In addition, the official said there was little possibility of the delegation discussing getting additional Moderna vaccine. The company plans to manufacture 700 million doses this year.
"It's unlikely that the delegation can reach a vaccine deal with Pfizer, as the top issue on President Moon's visit to Washington is how to explore making South Korea Asia's vaccine hub," another government official said.
Regarding the SK Bioscience-Novavax partnership, the officials said the parties were set to finalize the details on how to jointly develop projects regarding research into COVID vaccines with the two sharing technology.
The government's vaccination campaign has been hampered by a global shortage and shipment delays. It has provided doses to just over 7 percent of its 52 million residents so far, as it aims to inoculate at least 13 million by June and reach herd immunity by November.
Moon said previously that he will discuss vaccine and North Korea issues at his summit with Biden.
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