South Korea-based SK bioscience, a global innovative vaccine and biotech company, plans to initiate the establishment of the 'Songdo Global Research & Process Development Center (The R&PD Center).'

The R&PD centre will be a 30,413.8 sq mt site in Songdo, Republic of Korea with a total investment of $261 million, including the previous investment of $33 million.

Once the R&PD centre is completed in the first half of 2025, the headquarters and the research and development (R&D) centre currently located in Pangyo will move to Songdo.

SK bioscience aims to secure the newest technologies covering the entire process from basic research to commercial manufacturing and to ultimately create a global vaccine ecosystem to preemptively respond to new infectious diseases.

SK bioscience plans to operate the 'Open Lab' in the R&PD Center to strengthen a global vaccine network. The Open Lab will be a joint research space for international organizations and biopharmaceutical companies around the world to develop new vaccines together with SK bioscience.

The Open Lab will foster collaborations such as training for other countries lacking research capacities. The operation of the Open Lab will help promote the 'Glocalization' business, a project which transfers SK bioscience's R&D and production capabilities to countries with high demand for vaccines but lacking infrastructure.

SK bioscience will also secure the advanced BSL-3 (Biological Safety Level) research facilities to further strengthen its vaccine pipeline. BSL is a rating standard for biological facilities capable of conducting microbial research under high biohazard levels. BSL-3 level research facilities are required for the development of vaccines against new infectious diseases.

SK bioscience also plans to operate a pilot plant to strengthen global competitiveness in the CDMO market. A pilot plant will be established at the R&PD designed as a cGMP-level production facility. The plant will also be used for new tasks such as Cell and Gene Therapy mRNA and viral vector platforms research. 

SK bioscience aims to accelerate its new pipeline through synergy with the company’s vaccine manufacturing facility located in the Andong area.