[FETV=박제성 기자] While SK Bioscience has succeeded in supplying the first domestic coronavirus treatment to Korea, it has decided to temporarily suspend production of its flagship influenza vaccine, drawing attention to the background. SK Bioscience’s decision is raising curiosity in that it was made in the process of foretelling a surge in demand for flu vaccines, such as issuing an influenza (flu) pandemic advisory by the health authorities. In the meantime, the flu vaccine of SK Bioscience (SK Vasa) is a representative medicine for promoting human health.
According to related industries on the 23rd, SK Vasa stopped the only cell-cultured influenza vaccine in Korea for two years in a row, and the timing of the recent influenza epidemic is at odds. Initially, the government could use a domestic vaccine if at all possible, but it missed the timing with SK Vasa and secured Flucellbox from Securus, an Australian pharmaceutical company.
Prior to the outbreak of the influenza warning, SK Vasa focused on the production of its own coronavirus vaccine Skycobi One, including overseas CDMO (consignment production and development research) for the production of the coronavirus vaccine. As a result, the pharmaceutical industry is raising a question mark whether SK Basa should review production of a flu vaccine again.
However, there are also interpretations that it is not right for SK Basa because the influenza epidemic remains a temporary phenomenon rather than a prolonged one like the corona virus. Health authorities have also reached out to foreign countries. Securus is the only cell-cultured influenza vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
It seems that SK Vasa is also taking a step back. However, it is actively considering the production of a flu vaccine in 2023. Until 2020, SK Vasa was maintaining the No. 1 position in flu vaccines. While production was stopped for a while, GC Green Cross dug a hole and maintained its No.
Representative major influenza vaccines include Skycellflu tetravalent (two types of influenza A and two types of influenza B), prefilled syringe (injectable buffered state), Skycellflu prefilled syringe, and Skyzoster (herpes zoster virus vaccine). ) is there. Recently, SK vasa decided to release the 4-valent Sky Cell Flu 4 pre-filled syringe (Sky Cell Flu) next year.
◆“Which came first the chicken or the egg?” SK basa’s production priority concerns = Recently, SK basa is deeply concerned. The reason is that in the pharmaceutical bio industry, production of Sky Cellflu, the only cell-cultured influenza vaccine in Korea, has been suspended for two years in a row. Until the development of Corona, SK VASA is like a treasure to be cherished.
Previously, in 2015, SK basa’s self-developed and produced cell-cultured trivalent influenza vaccine, Sky Cellflu, was first introduced to the market. In 2016, once again, the world’s first cell culture quadrivalent, SkyCellflu Quadrivalent, was launched. Cell culture plays a role in fighting the flu virus by growing flu vaccine-related cells under controlled conditions.
Earlier, SK Vasa CEO Ahn Jae-yong said at a press conference to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the IPO held in March of this year, “In the situation where the vaccine production line was limited (at the time), it is judged that the corona vaccine is preferable to the flu vaccine in terms of global public health.” there is a bar
However, there are voices saying that they are facing a dilemma in this area. SK vasa temporarily suspended production of flu vaccines while increasing production of Astrane Zeneca (AZ) in the UK and Novavax in the US as a coronavirus vaccine CMO and by increasing production of Skycobi One.
Faced with the dilemma of “which came first, the chicken or the chicken”, it is also affecting the performance in the first half of the year. Recently, SK Vasa has been concentrating on the development and production of corona treatment. Sales and operating profit in the first half of this year were 225.4 billion won and 84.9 billion won, respectively. This is a decrease of 12.4% and 29.1%, respectively, compared to the same period last year. This is because of the aftermath of AZ Corona CMO contract termination.
President Ahn Jae-yong is also responding to the recent influenza health issue. Previously, the company had shown its will to produce a flu vaccine next year, with the 4-ga Skycellflu at the forefront. Currently, SK Vasa is not producing a flu vaccine right away, but it seems to be paying close attention to the current situation. It is not the position of not producing influenza vaccines like this year.
Recently, SK Vasa completed an application for emergency use list (EUL) listing with the World Health Organization (WHO) for SKYCOBIONE, the first domestically developed Corona treatment drug. The World Health Organization Emergency Use List is for the World Health Organization to list drugs with safety, efficacy, and quality standards on the Emergency Use List in order to quickly supply vaccine treatments in emergency health crises such as Corona. As of August this year, a total of 11 coronavirus vaccines were listed on the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use List.
SK BASA plans to supply Skycobi One to the global market in earnest once it is registered on the World Health Organization’s emergency use list this year. Previously, SK Bioscience completed an application for conditional approval with the UK Medicines Regulatory Authority (MHRA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in July.
An industry official said, “In this year alone, SK vasa has been somewhat burdensome for Capex, which indicates the scale of facility production, to cover both corona and flu vaccines.” There is a high possibility that vaccine production will resume,” he said.