History

Since its founding in 1997, the International Vaccine Institute has been at the forefront of global vaccine research, development, and delivery, driven by its mission to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines—empowering vaccine equity, impact, and sustainability globally.

  • Oct 1996
  • The Republic of Korea and United Nations Development Programme sign the IVI Establishment Agreement at the UN headquarters in New York City.
  • Oct 1997
  • IVI is officially established under the Vienna Convention as an independent and autonomous international organization.
  • Jul 1999
  • Dr. John Clemens becomes the first Director General at the IVI interim office at Seoul National University.
  • Jan 2000
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awards IVI its first grant, the Diseases of the Most Impoverished Program, to generate scientific evidence on the burden of cholera, typhoid fever, and shigellosis.
  • Jun 2003
  • IVI’s new headquarters building opens, donated by the Government of the Republic of Korea.
  • Jul 2006
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awards a grant to launch the Cholera Vaccine Initiative to develop and introduce new oral cholera vaccines.
  • Oct 2007
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awards a grant to launch the Vi-based Vaccines for Asia Initiative to develop and introduce new and improved typhoid vaccines.
  • Feb 2009
  • The oral cholera vaccine developed through IVI and produced by Shantha Biotechnics, Shanchol™, is licensed in India – the first vaccine developed through IVI to achieve licensure.
  • Sep 2011
  • World Health Organization prequalifies the IVI-developed oral cholera vaccine Shanchol™.
  • Dec 2011
  • Dr. Christian Loucq becomes IVI’s second Director General.
  • Oct 2013
  • Results from a phase III trial follow-up on the oral cholera vaccine, Shanchol™, show protective efficacy of about 65% over five years.
  • Jan 2014
  • IVI partners with Incepta Vaccine Ltd. of Bangladesh, transferring technology for an oral cholera vaccine then for a typhoid conjugate vaccine.
  • Feb 2015
  • Euvichol® receives licensure and is the first cholera vaccine developed and produced in the Republic of Korea for use in low- and middle-income countries.
  • Mar 2015
  • IVI, with the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malawi’s Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organization, conduct emergency cholera vaccinations in flood-stricken Malawi, immunizing more than 130,000 people.
  • Jun 2015
  • Dr. Jerome H. Kim becomes IVI’s third Director General.
  • Aug 2017
  • World Health Organization prequalifies the oral cholera vaccine Euvichol-Plus®.
  • Aug 2018
  • An IVI oral cholera vaccine campaign in Mozambique vaccinates nearly 200,000 people against cholera.
  • Oct 2018
  • IVI hosts its first State Forum, highlighting the importance of vaccine research and development in global health diplomacy.
  • Mar 2019
  • IVI launches the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine Introduction in Africa project to demonstrate the effectiveness of typhoid conjugate vaccines in four countries.
  • 2019
  • IVI launches the Strep A Global Vaccine Consortium with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute to advance the development of group A Strep vaccines.
  • 2020
  • In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, IVI joins forces with over 30 partners to support the preclinical and clinical development of COVID-19 vaccine candidates.
  • 2020
  • Bangladesh licenses Incepta’s Cholvax® oral cholera vaccine, the first domestically manufactured cholera vaccine in Bangladesh, made possible by an IVI technology transfer.
  • Feb 2022
  • The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare designates IVI the operator of the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing, a program supported by the World Health Organization to increase vaccine manufacturing capacity in low- and middle-income countries.
  • Apr 2022
  • IVI and SK bioscience launch the annual IVI-SK bioscience Park MahnHoon Award for individuals or organizations making outstanding contributions in vaccines for global health.
  • Sept 2022
  • IVI establishes its Europe Regional Office in Stockholm, Sweden and an IVI Country Office in Vienna, Austria.
  • Oct 2022
  • IVI launches its Global Advisory Group of Experts to advance diplomatic and global health efforts.
  • Oct 2022
  • IVI celebrates its 25th anniversary, presenting the inaugural IVI Founders Medal to Prof. Seung Il Shin, Prof. Barry Bloom, Prof. Wan Kyoo Cho, and Prof. Sang-Dai Park.
  • 2022
  • IVI leads phase III clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by SK bioscience at sites in six countries.
  • May 2023
  • IVI gains observer status at the World Health Assembly.
  • Oct 2023
  • IVI convenes the inaugural Global Council meeting in Seoul, establishing a new representative body for all IVI States Parties.
  • 2023
  • IVI establishes an antimicrobial resistance department to increase research on the impact of vaccination on antimicrobial use, consumption, and resistance.
  • May 2024
  • IVI forms a global research consortium supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to develop a broadly protective coronavirus vaccine.
  • Nov 2024
  • IVI establishes its Africa Regional Office in Kigali, Rwanda.
  • Feb 2025
  • IVI opens a new biorepository at its headquarters in Seoul with capacity to preserve up to 4 million biological samples for vaccine and diagnostic research.
  • 2025
  • IVI inaugurates new Collaborating Centers in Bhutan and Burkina Faso and launches the headquarters and laboratory of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute with the University of Hong Kong and the University of Cambridge.