• Anticipating synergistic effect in basic and clinical vaccine development strategies

June 28, 2024, SEOUL, Republic of Korea – The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Catholic Medical Center (CMC) of the Catholic University of Korea (CUK) to collaborate on the development and clinical trials of infectious disease vaccines.

Under the MOU, the two organizations will jointly conduct basic and clinical research through scientific exchanges such as training and seminars, as well as vaccine development projects through CMC’s Vaccine Bio Research Institute (VRIC).

The MOU signing ceremony took place on June 28, 2024, at CMC in Seoul. It was attended by Prof. Hwa-Sung Lee, President of CMC; Prof. Yeon-Jun Chung, Dean of CUK College of Medicine; Prof. Seok-Goo Cho, Head of CUK’s Academic-Industry Cooperation Foundation; Prof. Dong-Seok Yim, Head of CUK’s Pharmacometrics Institute for Practical Education and Training; and Prof. Dong-Gun Lee, Head of CUK Vaccine Bio Research Institute. From IVI, attendees included Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General; Dr. Hee-Soo Kim, Deputy Director General of Clinical, Assessment, Regulatory and Evaluation; and Dr. Manki Song, Deputy Director General of Science.

Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI, said, “Through this MOU, IVI, with its international network for vaccine development and distribution in developing countries, and the Catholic Medical Center, the largest medical network in Korea with a strong experience in basic and clinical research, will aim to generate significant synergistic effect in establishing strategies for basic and clinical research on infectious diseases.”

Dr. Hwa-sung Lee, President of Catholic Medical Center, said, “We are very pleased to collaborate with IVI, which provides significant help to vulnerable people in developing countries. We will endeavor to discover safe, effective, and affordable vaccines based on the Catholic spirituality of respect for life.”

The Catholic Medical Center of the Catholic University of Korea is the largest medical network in Korea, comprising eight affiliated university hospitals. The Catholic Blood Hospital boasts world-class medical staff and research system in the field of blood diseases, having achieved 10,000 hematopoietic stem cell transplants in 2023. CMC is a leader in the medical and research field in Korea, organizing a bio-cluster that spans from basic research to industry through its medical network platform.

Catholic University’s VRIC and Pharmacometrics Institute for Practical Education and Training, key participating institutions in the agreement, are conducting hundreds of clinical and basic research projects on antimicrobials, vaccines, diagnostics, treatments, and clinical trial design for infectious diseases.

###

About the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is a non-profit international organization established in 1997 at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme with a mission to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines for global health.

IVI’s current portfolio includes vaccines at all stages of preclinical and clinical development for infectious diseases that disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries, such as cholera, typhoid, chikungunya, shigella, salmonella, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV, COVID-19, and more. IVI developed the world’s first low-cost oral cholera vaccine, pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a new-generation typhoid conjugate vaccine that achieved WHO prequalification in early 2024.

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 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.