19 December 2025, SEOUL, Republic of Korea — The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), together with four partner institutions, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to establish and manage a collaborative network for clinical trial sample analysis. The agreement is designed to strengthen Korea’s capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to future pandemics.

The MOU brings together leading institutions with Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) facilities, aiming to expand Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) certification, build a joint validation system, and strengthen the reliability of vaccine clinical trial analyses. In addition to IVI and KDCA, partners include the National Medical Center, the Vaccine Center for Assisting Safety and Technology (V-CAST), Korea University College of Medicine’s Vaccine Innovation Center, and the Gyeongbuk Institute for Bio-Industry.

Supported by donations from the family of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, the collaboration will jointly establish and validate standardized immunogenicity assays for four pathogens: Mpox, SARS-CoV-2 variants, and avian influenza strains H5N1 and H7N9. These efforts will align with recommendations from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The institutions will also share research resources and infrastructure, conduct rapid vaccine sample analyses during public health emergencies such as pandemics, and promote personnel exchange and training.

This cooperative framework is expected to ensure consistent, high-quality vaccine clinical trial analyses, enhance the competitiveness of the Korean vaccine industry, and secure the operation of a reliable analysis network. It will also contribute to the globalization of Korean vaccines and create new economic opportunities through expanded participation in international vaccine clinical trial sample analysis and outsourcing.

Dr. Manki Song, IVI’s Deputy Director General for Science, said, “IVI will continue to expand cooperation with leading clinical analysis institutions, including KDCA. By operating this network systematically and sustainably, the partners aim to jointly advance infectious disease research and accelerate public vaccine development in Korea and worldwide.”

Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI, said, “IVI is proud to work with Korea’s leading institutions to establish standardized clinical sample analyses that strengthen readiness for emerging health threats. By harmonizing assays and creating a reliable analysis network, we can ensure vaccine trials are conducted with consistency and scientific excellence. This partnership will enhance Korea’s vaccine ecosystem while supporting global efforts to speed development, bolster preparedness, and safeguard health worldwide.”

###

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.