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SK bioscience is accelerating late-stage development of its innovative pneumococcal vaccine candidate targeting the global market, backed by government-supported financing.
The company has announced that its Board of Directors approved agenda items at a regular board meeting, including a financing plan backed by the Korea Growth Fund. The decision follows the company’s selection as a beneficiary of the fund by the Fund Management Deliberation Committee under Korea’s Financial Services Commission the previous day. SK bioscience is the first Korean novel drug and vaccine developer to receive support from the Korea Growth Fund.
Under the approved plan, the company will secure KRW 300 billion (approximately $230 million) in long-term, low-interest financing through the Korea Growth Fund programme. The funds will be utilised for R&D, commercialisation preparation, and manufacturing capability enhancement for ‘GBP410,’ SK bioscience’s and Sanofi’s 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine candidate currently undergoing global Phase 3 clinical trials.
GBP410 is an innovative pneumococcal vaccine candidate jointly developed with Sanofi, designed to provide broad serotype coverage compared to currently marketed vaccines. Global Phase 3 clinical trials are progressing smoothly, and the company is accelerating commercialisation preparation and manufacturing readiness with the goal of announcing top-line results in the second half of next year.
In addition to GBP410, SK bioscience is expanding its infectious disease-focused pipeline, including universal COVID-19 vaccines, microneedle patch influenza vaccines, RSV preventive antibody therapeutics, and mRNA vaccine platforms. Earlier this year, the company relocated its headquarters and research center to Songdo, Incheon, integrating R&D, process development (PD), business development (BD), and marketing functions to further enhance its global competitiveness.
