Korea National Institute of Health (KNIH), Korea’s top research center in the field of hygiene and medicine (with Mr. Kwon Jun-Wook as President) conducted a field inspection of key companies with mRNA technology.
KNIH visited Hanmi Fine Chemical which is a company specializing in raw materials, which is a subsidiary of Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group and specializes in pharmaceutical products and conducted the verification of technical capability of Hanmi which recently succeeded in the synthesis of six types of mRNA core materials.
Mr. Kwon confirmed the possibility of mass production of six type mRNA raw materials that Hanmi Fine Chemicals has been researching since the end of last year and has recently developed, and the potential as Korea’s gene vaccine production hub, and Hanmi’s continuous R&D capabilities. He asked Hanmi to continue the research and development to help Korea secure national sovereignty in the production of vaccines.
Lim Chong-Yoon, chairman of Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization (CEO of Hanmi Science), said, “Yes, we have the capability.”, adding “Though its monthly production may vary, Hanmi is the only company in Korea that has the ability of producing and supplying materials for 300 million doses within 12 months and Hanmi can rapidly supply the core materials of mRNA which is now in short of supply worldwide”.
Meanwhile, it was also confirmed that Hanmi Science is currently in the process of participating in the WHO’s construction plan of the regional hub for worldwide vaccine supply. This is a project to establish a base of the mass production for a global vaccine supply through the WHO and COVAX as part of the “KOREA-US Global Vaccine Partnership”.
In fact, WHO officially announced on the 21st by referring South Africa as the first candidate for a vaccine hub, “We are in discussion to establish the first production base of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in South Africa.” Mr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (WHO’s Director-General) said in the press briefing “this is especially good news for Africa where has suffered from the lack of vaccine.”
Chairman Lim Chong-Yoon mentioned, “We will have to wait for the final conclusion, but it should be noted that the WHO is seriously considering the potential of Korea as a global vaccine hub.”
On the 21st, the White House also announced plans for a global vaccine supply, saying that “1 billion doses of vaccine will be produced in 2021 and 2022 in Africa and India.” In addition, the Korean government said at the G7 summit held in the UK on the 13th that “Korea will contribute 100 million US dollars to the Covid-19 Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (AMC) this year.”
Photo: Director Jun-wook Kwon (center) of the National Institute of Health is conducting on-site verification of the mRNA raw material production process accumulated by Hanmi with officials of Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group.
Photo: Director Jun-wook Kwon (center) of the National Institute of Health is conducting on-site verification of the mRNA raw material production process accumulated by Hanmi with officials of Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group.
Photo: Young-gil Jang (left), CEO of Hanmi Fine Chemicals (left) and Jong-yoon Lim (CEO, Hanmi Science, middle), chairman of the Korea Biotechnology Association (CEO, Hanmi Science, middle), told the National Institute of Health Kwon Jun-wook (right) about the nucleic acid raw materials for mRNA vaccines secured by Hanmi and the production process of nano lipid particles. is explaining.
Photo: Officials from the National Institute of Health and Hanmi Pharmaceutical are taking a commemorative photo after the field inspection. (From left) Managing Director Kwon Gyu-Chan of Hanmi Pharmaceutical, Su-Jin Kim, Managing Director of Hanmi Fine Chemicals Young-Gil Jang, Chairman Lim Jong-Yun of Korea Bio Association (CEO of Hanmi Science), Joon-Wook Kwon of the National Institute of Health, Do-Geun Kim, Manager Kim Do-Geun, Director Lee Jae-Yun, Director Kim Jang-Hee of Hanmi Science.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
