The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), together with four partner institutions, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish and manage a collaborative network for clinical trial sample analysis. The agreement is designed to strengthen Korea’s capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to future pandemics.
The MoU brings together leading institutions with Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) facilities, aiming to expand Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) certification, build a joint validation system, and strengthen the reliability of vaccine clinical trial analyses. In addition to IVI and KDCA, partners include the National Medical Center, the Vaccine Center for Assisting Safety and Technology (V-CAST), Korea University College of Medicine’s Vaccine Innovation Center, and the Gyeongbuk Institute for Bio-Industry.
Supported by donations from the family of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, the collaboration will jointly establish and validate standardized immunogenicity assays for four pathogens: Mpox, SARS-CoV-2 variants, and avian influenza strains H5N1 and H7N9. These efforts will align with recommendations from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The institutions will also share research resources and infrastructure, conduct rapid vaccine sample analyses during public health emergencies such as pandemics, and promote personnel exchange and training.
This cooperative framework is expected to ensure consistent, high-quality vaccine clinical trial analyses, enhance the competitiveness of the Korean vaccine industry, and secure the operation of a reliable analysis network. It will also contribute to the globalisation of Korean vaccines and create new economic opportunities through expanded participation in international vaccine clinical trial sample analysis and outsourcing.
