pharm edaily

[Kim Jinsoo, Edaily Reporter] SK Bioscience is accelerating its expansion into overseas markets after securing additional orders for its independently developed varicella vaccine from the largest international procurement organization in Latin America.

SK bioscience AnDong L House. (SK bioscience)

The company announced on the 28th last month that it had received advance notice from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), an international organization under the United Nations, to supply its varicella vaccine to Latin America through 2027.

This represents a successful bid in a preliminary tender to enter the Latin American market. Moving forward, SK Bioscience’s varicella vaccine, Sky Varicella, will be supplied to the region based on PAHO‘s procurement volumes.

In 2022, SK Bioscience won its first PAHO tender for the varicella vaccine and has since supplied it stably for three years, building trust in the market. PAHO, along with UNICEF, is one of the world’s largest buyers of vaccines, handling large-scale vaccine procurement on behalf of Latin American nations.

To qualify for PAHO tenders, vaccines must receive Prequalification (PQ) certification from the World Health Organization (WHO), which has strict requirements. Sky Varicella became the world‘s second varicella vaccine to obtain PQ certification in 2019, enabling its entry into the Latin American market.

Commercialized in 2018, Sky Varicella has demonstrated immunogenicity and efficacy in children aged 12 months to 12 years through global clinical trials. Notably, the vaccine was tested against a PQ-certified global pharmaceutical company’s varicella vaccine as a control group, proving superior antibody response and comparable safety. Additionally, it is manufactured at the Andong L House facility, which meets global Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, ensuring supply stability.

Leveraging its competitive edge as a PAHO-approved supplier for six consecutive years, SK Bioscience plans to expand exports to other regions, including Southeast Asia.

According to the latest report from global market research firm Market Research Intellect, the global varicella vaccine market is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 6.3%, reaching approximately $5.76 billion (8.3 trillion KRW) by 2031. This growth is attributed to increased government immunization initiatives and rising vaccine demand, particularly in emerging markets such as Latin America, Asia, and Africa, where international organizations play a key role in vaccine supply.

Beyond Sky Varicella, SK Bioscience is actively pursuing global market expansion with a diverse portfolio of independently developed vaccines. Approvals are in progress or have been completed in various countries for Sky Cellflu (influenza vaccine), Sky Zoster (shingles vaccine), and Sky Typhoid (typhoid vaccine). The company is also securing export contracts and winning tenders to establish sales channels.

Additionally, SK Bioscience is co-developing a 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine with Sanofi, currently in Phase 3 clinical trials. If successfully launched, the vaccine is expected to enhance SK Bioscience’s competitiveness in the global vaccine market, including in advanced markets such as the United States and Europe.

Jinsun Park, head of marketing and business development at SK Bioscience, stated, “The successful entry of Sky Varicella into the Latin American market through PAHO is a testament to our strong product quality and stable production capabilities. Moving forward, we will continue expanding our presence in global markets with a diverse vaccine portfolio.“