SK bioscience announced on the 1st that it jointly awarded the Park Man-hoon Award this year to the developer of an oral polio vaccine and a nonprofit organization that contributed to improving vaccine accessibility for low-income groups.
The vaccine development awardees are Professor Pierre van Damme of Belgium's University of Antwerp, who contributed to the development and supply of the novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2), and Dr. Ananda Sankar Bandyopadhyay of the Gates Foundation.
Professor van Damme said, "We have believed that our efforts would contribute to the control and prevention of infectious diseases through clinical trials for vaccine development conducted with various research institutions and corporations. I think it is our duty to pass on the knowledge gained during the process to future generations."
Dr. Bandyopadhyay of the Gates Foundation noted, "Innovations like the development of the novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) will lead to the rapid introduction of life-saving vaccines for a disease-free world, creating a safer and healthier future."
SK bioscience also selected Luiza Helena Trajano, representative of the Brazilian Women’s Group, and Svetha Janumpalli, representative of New Incentives, as joint awardees for their contributions to increasing vaccination rates in hard-to-reach areas.
Representative Trajano said, "There is nothing more powerful than the strength of a united civil society," adding, "This award has made me feel a greater sense of responsibility for the new campaign currently in development." Representative Janumpalli stated, "It takes sustained effort, determination, strong monitoring systems, and unwavering will for cost-effective and scalable programs like New Incentives to succeed."
The Park Man-hoon Award, now in its 4th year, was established in 2021 to honor the achievements of the late Park Man-hoon, vice chairman of SK bioscience and a pioneer of domestic cell culture vaccines. SK bioscience and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) select and award individuals and organizations that have contributed to vaccine research, development, and dissemination, referred to as the Nobel Prize of the vaccine industry. SK bioscience provides a grant of 200 million won each year.
This year's awards ceremony was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 30th. Attendees included Jeong Yeong-mi, head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency; An Jae-yong, president of SK bioscience; and Jerome Kim, secretary-general of IVI.