Status update on domestic Tdap combination vaccine development One-shot protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis Key phase 1/2 clinical results secured Flagship example of successful vaccine localization by the project consortium
Shin Yoon-chul, Head of Development at GC Green Cross (right), and Baek Young-ha, Director of the Division of Health and Medical Technology Development at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, pose for a commemorative photo at the awards ceremony of the 2026 Vaccine Practical Technology Development Project Group Performance Sharing Meeting. Provided by GC Green Cross
GC Green Cross announced on the 18th that it received the “Minister of Health and Welfare Excellence Award” at the 2026 Vaccine Practical Technology Development Project Group Performance Sharing Meeting held on the 17th. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and organized by the Vaccine Practical Technology Development Project Group.
The Vaccine Practical Technology Development Project Group was launched in April 2020 and has been supporting research and development in the vaccine sector with the aim of “securing vaccine sovereignty and entering global markets,” promoting vaccine self-sufficiency, discovering new candidates, and accelerating clinical entry. It supports the entire vaccine development process, from discovery of vaccine candidates and process development to production of clinical trial materials and linkage with clinical trials.
This performance sharing meeting was arranged to recognize outstanding research achievements from R&D projects supported by the project group and to share key results. The domestic supply rate of vaccines for the National Immunization Program is only 30%. As of last year, out of 22 vaccines designated for the National Immunization Program, only 6 can be produced domestically including the bulk antigen.
At the event, GC Green Cross presented the “Current status of development of a tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) combination vaccine for self-sufficiency in essential vaccines.” The Tdap combination vaccine is an immunization that can prevent three acute infectious diseases with a single shot. The project to localize the Tdap combination vaccine by GC Green Cross is cited as one of the representative success cases of the Vaccine Practical Technology Development Project Group. Since 2024, the company has been conducting R&D through participation in the project group with the goal of localizing the Tdap combination vaccine, which is currently entirely dependent on imports.
In this project, GC Green Cross confirmed safety and efficacy through non-clinical trials using animal models. Based on this, the company initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical study last year to evaluate safety and immunogenicity and has recently secured key research results. It plans to continue participating in the project group and proceed with Phase 2 clinical trials in adolescents as well as Phase 3 clinical trials in the future.
Shin Yoon-chul, Head of Development at GC Green Cross, said, “By achieving commercialization of the first domestically developed Tdap combination vaccine, the company will strive to increase the self-sufficiency rate of vaccines for the National Immunization Program (NIP) and contribute to national health security by doing its utmost in clinical development.”
Kim Min-beom
AI-translated with ChatGPT. Provided as is; original Korean text prevails.
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