Park Sang-cheol, Chair of IVI Korea Support Committee, Advocates for Ongoing Research and Collaboration

The global outbreaks of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and COVID-19 marked a turning point for the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). Drawing on its experiences from the MERS crisis, IVI has expanded its role following the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing government support and international foundation sponsorship to enhance not only vaccine research but also workforce training, standardization of analytical methods, and international collaboration capabilities.

In an interview with Aju Economy, Park Sang-cheol, Chair of the IVI Korea Support Committee, stated, "To prepare for the next pandemic, we need to establish an international cooperation system for research, production, workforce, and data sharing in advance."

IVI is broadening its role beyond vaccine development to establish a global vaccine ecosystem. Notable initiatives include the International Vaccine Training Program and the Global Bio Workforce Hub (GTH-B). The International Vaccine Training Program was conducted last year in Seoul, Stockholm, and Kigali, while GTH-B focused on training in vaccine and biopharmaceutical production processes, quality control, and upstream manufacturing. To date, IVI has trained over 8,000 personnel related to vaccines.

Park explained, "Countries need personnel capable of developing and producing vaccines to ensure rapid supply during crises."

Research capabilities have also been strengthened. IVI has participated in efforts with the WHO and international partners to establish standard materials and analytical systems necessary for vaccine evaluation. The institute has developed immunogenicity analysis methods for emerging infectious diseases, including COVID-19 variants and Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), and is working on transferring related technologies to partner organizations.

Park emphasized the need to prepare candidate substances, production platforms, and clinical trial networks based on the WHO's list of potential risk infectious diseases. He stated, "If we wait until a pandemic occurs to establish research and production bases, rapid response will be difficult. We must always be prepared for the next infectious disease."

Additionally, IVI held a Nordic Vaccine Conference last year with international partners to discuss collaboration strategies for vaccine research, manufacturing, and pandemic preparedness. The aim was to connect the research, industry, and public health capabilities of Nordic countries to enhance crisis response speed.

To sustain such international cooperation, stable funding is essential. Park noted, "Significant resources are required to operate the institute," stressing that support from international organizations, foreign foundations, and corporations must be combined.

Particularly for vaccines that are crucial for public health but have low profitability, like cholera vaccines, development cannot rely solely on market logic. The oral cholera vaccine, for which IVI transferred technology to Ubiologics, has supplied over 240 million doses to 52 countries. Park explained that long-term support from governments and international organizations is necessary to continue such achievements.

He added, "To continue playing a vital role in discovering candidate substances, conducting clinical trials, and supplying them to the international community, we must establish a system of ongoing collaboration among governments, businesses, universities, hospitals, and international organizations."