Moderna's vaccine market strategy and Korea's vaccine hub export strategy collided, and the rupture of the moderna-Samsung-government triangular alliance exposed weaknesses in becoming a vaccine hub.
Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol and Moderna CEO changed unilaterally in 9 days, and Moderna signed a contract with the Canadian government for a vaccine factory in Canada on the 10th.
Minister Kwon said at an emergency briefing at the Osong Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the 9th that, in the aftermath of the laboratory problem related to vaccine production, Moderna had announced that it would supply less than half of the 8.5 million doses planned for August. We will send an official delegation to Korea by Kang Do-tae, 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, to the Republic of Korea, express strong regret for the delay in supply, and urge the prompt supply of vaccines.”
Song Young-gil, chairman of the Democratic Party, told KBS Radio on the 28th of last month, "The previous day, Minister Kwon Deok-cheol had an emergency video conference with Vice Chairman John Roper Moderna and the head of the production facility, and it was said that 1.3 million to 1.4 million episodes would be provided next week. It is said that 8.5 million episodes in August will arrive as scheduled,” he said, leading to the breaking of the agreement with the government and Moderna 10 days later.
President Moon Jae-in made the site of signing an MOU for a vaccine consignment production contract between Samsung and Moderna at a hotel in Washington right after announcing the 'Vaccine Hub' at the Korea-US summit on May 22, and was midway between Samsung Biologics CEO John Lim and CEO Stefan Vansel Moderna. stood on
Minister Kwon made an extraordinary emergency announcement at the Osong Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Chungcheongbuk-do that Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong's parole was granted at the meeting of the Justice Ministry on the 9th.
At a press conference on the 100th day of his inauguration on the 10th, CEO Song Young-gil said, "Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong received special benefits from the public opinion and the Ministry of Justice." “Samsung Biologics will be producing Moderna on consignment, so active consultations are needed so that the domestically produced Moderna vaccine can be consumed in Korea,” he said.
Moderna's Canadian plant is the same size as the Norwood plant in Massachusetts, USA, and the Canadian government has to exercise its right to "produce only domestic vaccines" in case of a pandemic, US media reported that only the remaining vaccines can be exported.
CNBC reported on the 10th that Moderna is discussing ways to cooperate with other governments on similar terms (separation of export and domestic controls).
Minister Kwon said at a joint briefing of 11 ministries on the 5th, "Samsung Biologics is planning to produce a finished product of Moderna mRNA Corona 19 vaccine from the end of August this year."
Samsung Bio is responsible for consigned production of the vaccine to Moderna, which is a finished product filling (DP) operation that receives the undiluted solution from the Spanish plant, puts it in a vial (bottle), and packs it.
At a briefing on the same day, Lee Kang-ho, head of the Global Vaccine Hub Promotion Group at the Ministry of Health, said, “Korea’s vaccine production is at a significant level, and 7 companies are currently in the clinical stage of vaccine development. “If we push forward, we think we can achieve 5th place,” he said.