SK Bioscience said Wednesday it has signed a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) agreement with global pharmaceutical company MSD for Ebola vaccine production, together with its subsidiary IDT Biologika (IDT).
The deal is part of a second-generation Zaire Ebola vaccine development project being jointly pursued with MSD and the Hilleman Laboratories. SK Bioscience will produce the vaccine drug substance, while IDT will handle finished product development and manufacturing.
The agreement follows the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)'s decision in January to provide approximately $30 million in development funding. SK Bioscience has been expanding global vaccine development and production partnerships after acquiring IDT and achieving a turnaround through improved production efficiency and cost structure. The company said it plans to strengthen its global infectious disease response system based on its integrated manufacturing platform.