SK bioscience has signed an agreement with Colombia’s state-owned pharmaceutical company VECOL to support vaccine technology transfer and local manufacturing as part of Colombia’s government-led vaccine localisation initiative. The programme, jointly driven by Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the National Health Institute (INS) and VECOL, represents an investment of approximately USD 260 million over the next decade aimed at strengthening national vaccine self-sufficiency and public health preparedness.

Under the collaboration, VECOL will lead the execution of the project, while SK bioscience will serve as the technology transfer and local manufacturing partner. The agreement follows an extensive review process conducted by the Colombian government over nearly four years, during which several global vaccine manufacturers were evaluated on parameters including technological expertise, regulatory standards, manufacturing quality, collaboration capability and long-term strategic alignment.

SK bioscience was selected based on its vaccine manufacturing capabilities, WHO prequalified vaccine portfolio, global public procurement supply experience and expertise in supporting long-term vaccine capacity building initiatives.

As part of the agreement, SK bioscience will provide technical know-how for manufacturing facility development, product introduction, regulatory approvals and production operations in Colombia. VECOL will oversee facility establishment, licensing, integration with Colombia’s National Immunization Programme and coordination with public health authorities.

The first product identified for technology transfer is SKYVaricella, SK bioscience’s proprietary varicella vaccine. The company also plans to explore opportunities to expand the collaboration into additional vaccine products in the future. In addition, SK bioscience will secure preferential negotiation rights for vaccines introduced through the facility, including both proprietary products and future vaccines adopted by the Colombian government.

The initiative comes at a time when Latin American countries are increasingly prioritising local vaccine manufacturing capabilities following the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic. Colombia, one of the region’s key vaccine markets with an established national immunisation system, is seeking to strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce dependency on external suppliers.

The collaboration is expected to support the development of domestic vaccine manufacturing capabilities in Colombia while contributing to a more stable regional vaccine supply network across Latin America. SK bioscience also plans to use the partnership as a strategic foundation for expanding regional manufacturing and technology transfer initiatives across the continent.

Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection described the agreement as a major step toward strengthening national health sovereignty, highlighting that the partnership goes beyond vaccine production to include technology transfer, workforce development and the establishment of advanced scientific and manufacturing infrastructure.

Gina Tambini Gomez, PAHO/WHO Representative in Colombia, noted that the agreement aligns with broader regional efforts to strengthen local health technology manufacturing capacities across the Americas.

Lucia Ayala, President of VECOL, said the partnership would help strengthen Colombia’s scientific and technological capabilities while supporting the country’s long-term public health and health sovereignty goals.

Jaeyong Ahn, President and CEO of SK bioscience, said the company would leverage its expertise in vaccine development, manufacturing and global partnerships to contribute to sustainable vaccine supply and pandemic preparedness efforts in Latin America.

SK bioscience has been steadily expanding its presence in the Latin American market since securing its first PAHO varicella vaccine tender in 2022. The company’s PAHO supply contract for varicella vaccines was later extended through 2027, further strengthening its regional footprint. SKYVaricella became the world’s second varicella vaccine to receive WHO Prequalification certification in 2019.

The agreement also aligns with SK bioscience’s broader ‘Glocalisation’ strategy, which combines global vaccine development expertise with region-specific manufacturing partnerships. The company is pursuing similar vaccine technology transfer and localised manufacturing initiatives in other countries, including Thailand, as part of its effort to establish integrated global vaccine production and supply networks.