- SK bioscience will submit an application for preliminary screening to the Korea Exchange (KRX) for an initial public offering(IPO) on January 1. The preliminary screening is expected to be completed by the 1st quarter of 2021

SK bioscience announced on the 27th that the company’s board of directors has decided to move file listing on the KOSPI.

SK bioscience will submit an application for a preliminary screening of its IPO to the Korea Exchange (KRX) on the 1st of next month.

Upon the review, the Korea Exchange will notify the results within 45 days of receiving the application to SK bioscience, filing the KOSPI listing by the first half of next year at the earliest. SK bioscience will submit a stock report to the Financial Services Commission after obtaining the KRX approval.

SK bioscienceed the NH Investment & Securities as the lead underwriter and the Korea Investment & Securities and Mirae Asset Daewoo Securities as its co-underwriters to manage the IPO.

Through this IPO, SK bioscience plans to respond more effectively to rapidly changing biopharmaceutical environments such as the spread of COVID-19, while increasing a shareholder value through continuous investment and technological innovation.</o>

Last month, SK bioscience began clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate ‘NBP2001.’ In an efficacy trial with primates, SK bioscience’s self-developed vaccine NBP2001 was able to induce 10 times more neutralizing antibodies than what was found in the serum of fully recovered COVID-19 subject. raising expectations for the success. ‘GBP510,’ another COVID-19 vaccine candidate under development with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is also expected to be entered clinical trials within this year.

Also, SK bioscience signed a CMO contract with AstraZeneca and Oxford University for drug substance and drug product of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate which entered Phase III clinical trials in July. In August, following a capacity reservation agreement with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), signed a CDMO contract with Novavax for the development, production, and global supply of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate.