News
2021.10.28
Hanmi Science (008930, CEO Lim Chong-yoon) announced that it has formed a pandemic science alliance with the University of Oxford to conduct collaborative research to prevent new and variant infectious diseases during and after the pandemic.
Lim Chong-yoon, CEO of Hanmi Science, and Louise Richardson, Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford, signed the collaboration agreement at a ceremony held at the university and expressed their commitment to joint research and development (R&D) activities.
Hanmi Science CEO Lim (right) with the University of Oxford VC Louise Richardson (left)
VC Dame Louise Richardson mentioned that there are still many nations faced with problems in vaccine supply, and that the pandemic has brought them together to join forces and tackle the issues at hand with a sense of responsibility.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, who led the COVID-19 vaccine development at Oxford, and Mr. Lim agreed to conduct additional toxicity studies and process improvement research on three mRNA candidates that have been secured, with the aim of submitting an investigational new drug (IND) application to the US FDA in the first half next year.
Mr. Lim noted that Moderna and other vaccine manufacturers are operating a decentralized production system with the active ingredient and stock solution production and bottling processes carried out at various locations. However, biologics, especially lipid structures containing genes, require more stringent control, and faulty processes may lead to financial losses and even side effects. He thus suggested establishing vaccine development and manufacturing facilities under one roof.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard said that the Oxford vaccine development group began with around just ten researchers and that he always tried to lead them by example, explaining that Mr. Lim’s vision to “move forward” and the “comprehensive research strategy” strongly resonated with him.
The two parties agreed on eight matters, including the installation of additional mobile production equipment at the existing facility where AstraZeneca was developed and tested; verification of and clinical studies on candidates for mRNA vaccines, plant-derived vaccines, DNA vaccines, and viral vector vaccines; an MDT program, a multidisciplinary treatment approach using digital technology; supplying essential vaccines to low-income countries using the mass production capacity of Korea; and inter-university exchange programs for the utilization of a big data center and human resources development.
Mr. Lim explained the consortium headed by Hanmi Science has the common goal of distributing vaccines worldwide, with the participation of Hanmi Pharmaceutical, Coree Company, GeneOne Life Science, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, BioApp Green Vaccine, Herings Digital Medical, Myongji Medical Foundation, GS Neotek, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), and Pohang City. He said, “This crisis is not over until it is over for all of us,” referring to the words of Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director.