SK bioscience has signed a vaccine technology transfer and manufacturing agreement with Colombia’s state-owned pharmaceutical company VECOL, becoming part of the country’s $260m vaccine localisation initiative.
This move strengthens vaccine supply resilience in Colombia and creates a pathway for SK bioscience’s expansion into Latin America.
The Colombian Ministry of Health and Social Protection, National Health Institute, and Vecol led this government-backed scheme to improve public health readiness and vaccine self-sufficiency over ten years.
Under the agreement, Vecol will act as the primary implementing partner for local production while SK bioscience contributes technology transfer and manufacturing support.
Before the agreement, the Colombian Government spent four years evaluating multiple vaccine companies with vaccine portfolios prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Assessment criteria included technical expertise, regulatory compliance, quality, collaboration potential, and long-term alignment.
SK bioscience was chosen based on global manufacturing capabilities and a strong commitment to supporting vaccine capacity building. The company will transfer the technology and expertise for facility development, product rollout, regulatory clearance, and production.
Vecol manages operational aspects, government licensing, linkage to Colombia’s National Immunisation Programme, and public health coordination.
The initial product involved is SKYVaricella, SK bioscience’s varicella vaccine, with plans for broader portfolio expansion in future.
The South Korean company will have preferential negotiation rights to supply vaccines, its own and others, to the Colombian Government through the new facility.
The South American country is regarded as a key regional market, and the partnership aims to improve local production to bolster supply security after the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the vaccine supply chain.
SK bioscience president and CEO Jaeyong Ahn said: “We are honoured to participate in this national initiative led by the Colombian Government and Vecol to strengthen vaccine manufacturing capabilities.
“Leveraging SK bioscience’s accumulated expertise in vaccine development and manufacturing, as well as our global partnership experience, we will continue striving to contribute to future pandemic preparedness and the establishment of a sustainable vaccine supply foundation in Latin America and beyond.”
The company continues its “Glocalisation” approach, expanding its regional footprint, and is developing similar projects in countries, including Thailand.
