• Aiming to strengthen global workforce capacity for vaccine manufacturing in low- and middle-income countries to support pandemic preparedness and promote vaccine equity
• Since 2022, IVI has provided biomanufacturing training to over 2,000 participants through GTH-B, leveraging Korea’s advanced bioindustry and educational infrastructure

SEOUL, Republic of Korea, 27 October 2025 — The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is hosting the 2025 Introductory Course for Standard Practice (GxP) from 27 October to 14 November at Seoul National University’s Siheung Campus. Following an online pre-training phase, the three-week in-person program officially commenced with an opening ceremony on 27 October. This course is part of the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing (GTH-B) initiative, jointly led by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and co-organized by the GTH-B Support Foundation and IVI.

Now in its fourth year, IVI’s GxP course is a flagship training initiative under the GTH-B program, which was launched after WHO designated Korea as the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing in 2022 to support pandemic preparedness and promote vaccine equity. The course aims to build professional capacity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by strengthening local vaccine manufacturing capabilities.

This year, the program will train 192 international participants from 39 countries, selected by WHO and MoHW, along with 21 Korean participants from domestic biopharmaceutical companies and graduate programs. The trainees include professionals from organizations involved in the development and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals such as vaccines, therapeutics, and monoclonal antibodies in LMICs.

The curriculum focuses on international quality standards—collectively known as GxP, which includes Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP)—and offers both theoretical instruction and hands-on training across the full spectrum of vaccine and biologics development and production.

New to this year’s course is a focus on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in vaccine development, including sessions on antigen design using AI and an introduction to AI in GxP-regulated environments. The program is designed to deliver comprehensive, practical knowledge across all stages of manufacturing—from introduction to vaccine types and biosafety, through raw material management, production processes, quality control, and packaging, to regulatory compliance—ensuring participants can immediately apply their skills in real-world settings.

The faculty includes approximately 40 experts from 18 institutions worldwide, including IVI, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Vaccine Center for Assisting Safety and Technology (V-CAST), the Korea Advanced Center for Vaccine Development (KAVAD), the Korea Biomedicine Industry Association, and leading Korean and international vaccine companies.

This year’s program also expands training in industrial settings. Participants will engage in a three-day ‘Mini hands-on training’ at advanced biomanufacturing facilities, including the Public CDMO for Biologics in Hwasun and the K-Bio CMO Center in Andong, Korea. A ‘Mini convention’ will also be held to foster networking between international trainees and key players in Korea’s biopharmaceutical industry, enhancing engagement and collaboration.

Since 2022, IVI has trained over 2,000 professionals through its GTH-B programs, including the GxP course, the Introductory Course for Biologics Development and Manufacturing, and on-site training and consultations in more than ten LMICs. These programs combine lectures, practical training, and site visits to Korea’s leading biotech facilities, offering immersive, short-term education. Many alumni have since played key roles in vaccine production, immunization programs, and regulatory efforts in their home countries, generating tangible impact in global health.

Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI, said, “Building on years of experience delivering GTH-B and other capacity-building initiatives, IVI will continue to leverage Korea’s world-class bioindustry and educational infrastructure to strengthen essential hands-on training. In addition, we will develop and implement a diverse range of innovative programs—including on-site consultations and advanced online courses—to further enhance biomanufacturing capacity in LMICs.”

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About the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)
The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is an independent international organization originally established at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme in 1997. Its mission is to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines—empowering vaccine equity, impact, and sustainability globally.

IVI’s current portfolio includes vaccines in multiple stages of pre-clinical and clinical development targeting infectious diseases that significantly impact low- and middle-income countries, including cholera, typhoid fever, chikungunya, shigellosis, salmonellosis, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV- and group A strep-related diseases, and COVID-19. IVI developed the world’s first low-cost oral cholera vaccine and a new-generation typhoid conjugate vaccine, both pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO).

IVI is headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea with a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, an Africa Regional Office in Rwanda, a Country Office in Austria, and a Country and Project Office in Kenya. IVI additionally co-founded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute in Hong Kong and hosts Collaborating Centers in Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Madagascar. 42 countries and the WHO are members of IVI, and the governments of the Republic of Korea, Sweden, India, Finland, Austria, and Thailand provide state funding. For more information, please visit https://www.ivi.int.