Turkey renews SK Bioscience’s vaccine manufacturing certification

SK Bioscience, the vaccine unit of Korea’s SK Group, said Friday the Turkish health authority has renewed a certification for making and exporting vaccines for flu, chickenpox and shingles, paving the way for the company to participate in a vaccine deal bid in Turkey.

The Good Manufacturing Practice certification was renewed for the firm’s vaccine manufacturing factory L House located in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, since it was first granted the certification in 2019.

In the facility, flu vaccine SKYcellflu Trivalent and Quadrivalent, chickenpox vaccine SKYvaricella and the vaccine for herpes zoster, also known as shingles, called Skyzoster are manufactured, the company said.

With the certification renewal, SK Bioscience plans to participate in an international bidding for producing a chickenpox vaccine for the Turkish government and accelerate exports of its four vaccines.

Also, the firm is on the move to expand its footing to Europe and Asia by building additional manufacturing facilities for L House, a new lab to produce viral vectors and the Global Research & Process Development Center in Songdo, Incheon.

“Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we were able to build trust in the global market. Based on the trust, we will continue to make our efforts to move into the global arena by forging partnership with other companies,” said SK Bioscience CEO Ahn Jae-yong in a statement.

By Byun Hye-jin (hyejin2@heraldcorp.com)