IVI in the Media
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SK Chemicals and IVI on collaborative vaccine development
SK Chemicals and IVI sign MOU on collaborative vaccine development
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Seoul, October 9, 2012— SK Chemicals (CEO, Chang-Geun Kim) announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with International Vaccine Institute (IVI, Director-General Christian Loucq) to collaborate on Typhoid vaccine development and supply. The collaboration will focus on the establishment of a global vaccine system to protect children from the risk of Typhoid fever in developing countries.
Under the terms of this MOU, SK Chemicals and IVI will exchange their technology for the development of a Typhoid vaccine and will collaborate on future clinical studies and application for the prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO). SK Chemicals will manufacture and supply about 10 million doses of the Typhoid vaccine to developing countries through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
"We are very excited about this collaboration with SK Chemicals to protect children in developing countries from Typhoid," IVI Director-General Dr. Christian Loucq said. "IVI appreciates SK Chemicals’ commitment to, and efforts towards improving global health. IVI and SK Chemicals will work closely together to reduce the burden of Typhoid fever in developing countries." Chang-Geun Kim, CEO of SK Chemicals said "SK Chemicals has started a vaccine business to implement our company's mission: 'Contribution to improvement of human health.' I strongly believe that the collaboration with IVI on global vaccine project is an important opportunity not only to practice our mission but also to present a symbolic approach to the future of vaccine business." Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease, transmitted through ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces or urine of infected people. Although Typhoid fever is practically under control in most developed countries, it is still common in developing countries with a poor water and sanitation system. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 21 million people are suffering from Typhoid fever and more than 200,000 deaths occur world-wide every year. IVI, the first international organization to be hosted by the Korean government, was officially established in 1997 as an independent international nonprofit organization with an aim to effectively control infectious disease affecting the world's poorest children through the accelerated and sustainable creation of new vaccines and their introduction into countries worldwide. SK Chemicals has been developing Korea’s first cell culture-based influenza vaccine in order to secure a vaccine supply in a pandemic situation. By the second half of 2014, SK Chemicals will complete construction of a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility with a capacity of 140 million vaccine doses annually. In addition to the vaccine development program, SK Chemicals has been supportive to the IVI’s philanthropic activities. In June 2012, SK Chemicals participated in the 'Blue & Green Ribbon Charity Gala,' co-hosted by IVI to call attention to the need for improving the health of North Korean children and committed to support of North Korean Children.
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