SK bioscience, an innovative vaccine and biotech company committed to promoting human health from prevention to cure, announced that the company’s CEO, Jaeyong Ahn has virtually participated as a panelist in the academic workshop session of ‘Pandemic Product Research and Development: Insights from Practice and Implications for Pandemic Rulemaking,’ organized by Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland for the Pandemic Accord on the 10th.

The workshop was attended by diplomats from Geneva-based missions and capitals negotiating new international rules on research & development in the Pandemic Accord, and other speakers such as Saul Walker, Director of Partnerships of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Suerie Moon, Co-Director of Global Health Centre, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, and Hani Kim, Executive Director of the Research Investment for Global Health Technology Foundation (RIGHT Foundation).

During the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 2021, WHO member states decided to establish an ‘Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB)’ to identify substantive elements and develop a working draft of a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument, referred to as ‘Pandemic Accord’.

The objective is to build a more robust global health architecture that will protect future generations, enhancing the surveillance of and resilience to health threats, access to medical products, mutual trust between countries and implementation of countermeasures.

The WHO held five general meetings of the INB, and in May, the draft Pandemic Accord was disclosed. The workshop was intended to reinforce the contents related to R&D in of the agreement.

Jaeyong Ahn who was the only private company CEO invited to the workshop, participated in discussions on the following topics: △Maintaining the vaccine R&D capability △Collaboration with various stakeholders such as joint venture establishment through funding △Establishment of an international network for clinical trials and strengthening R&D cooperation to respond to the pandemic.

Mr. Ahn said “We have learned many important lessons through the pandemic. One of these is that pandemic readiness needs to take place both during peacetime and pandemic time. An example of the initiatives we’re pursuing during peacetime includes our efforts to secure the mRNA platform and work closely with the South Korean Government to achieve the 100 Days Mission. Additionally, we are establishing regional manufacturing hubs through our global public-private partnership model, ‘SKYShield,’ also called ‘Glocalization.”

Mr. Ahn also emphasized the SK bioscience’s commitment for social contribution, saying “In 2016, SK Group announced that all SK business personnels should consider both economic value (EV) and social value (SV) in their bottom line, called the Double Bottom Line (DBL). SK bioscience is not only aligned, but also uniquely positioned for DBL as a biopharmaceutical company, leading the successful development of the South Korea’s first COVID-19 vaccine ‘SKYCovione’ during the pandemic time.“

“We were able to achieve both economic and social values and strengthen partnerships with international organizations, research institutes, and companies through the development of SKYCovione. The achievement has become a cornerstone for future cooperation in various projects under global partnerships.”

Lastly, Mr. Ahn said that achieving both economic and social values is a virtuous cycle and a real motivation for SK bioscience’s public health contribution, hoping that the company’s successful experience will serve as a prime example to motivate other companies in promoting the Pandemic Accord.