South Korea-based SK bioscience has entered into a development licensing agreement with Hilleman Laboratories, in Singapore, for joint development of a second-generation Zaire Ebola virus vaccine.

Hilleman Laboratories and SK bioscience will collaborate on the development of an improved second-generation Zaire Ebola virus vaccine candidate with the goal of increasing production process productivity and improving product thermostability that would potentially help increase the global Ebola vaccine supply and help expand access.

SK bioscience will acquire unique expertise and know-how for use of rVSV (recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Vector) technology platform, in close collaboration with Hilleman Laboratories to potentially jointly develop other vaccines against a variety of viral infectious diseases.

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a rapidly progressive, severe and transmissible hemorrhagic illness caused by infection with one of the Ebola Virus (EBOV) species. While there are six identified EBOV species, the Zaire Ebola virus strain has been the leading cause of outbreaks over the last 20 years. Ever since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976, there have been multiple outbreaks resulting in significant loss of lives (50% of mortality rate) and economic impact.

In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international public health emergency during the Ebola outbreak and encouraged the development of the vaccine when the virus was spreading rapidly in West Africa.

Image caption- L-R- Dr Raman Rao, CEO of Hilleman Laboratories and Jaeyong Ahn, CEO of SK bioscience