SK bioscience announced on the 25th that this year's recipient of the 'Park Man-hoon Award,' established in collaboration with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), was selected from researchers who developed a polio vaccine and representatives of nonprofit organizations that significantly increased vaccination rates.
The Park Man-hoon Award, sponsored by SK bioscience and organized by IVI, was established in 2021 to commemorate the achievements of the late Park Man-hoon, the vice chairman of SK bioscience, a pioneer in domestic cell-cultured vaccines, and is now in its fourth year.
This year's recipients, Professor Pierre van Damme from the University of Antwerp in Belgium and Dr. Ananda Sankar Bandyopadhyay from the Gates Foundation, were recognized for their contributions to the development of a novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) that opened new horizons in global child immunization.
Professor Pierre van Damme, who led the development of nOPV2, is also serving as the director of the Vaccine Evaluation Center (CEV), a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating center for infectious disease control and prevention. Dr. Ananda Sankar Bandyopadhyay, as the deputy director responsible for technology, research, and analysis in the Gates Foundation's polio section, played a key role in the development of nOPV2 and the global expansion of vaccinations.
Representatives Luiza Helena Trajano and Sveta Zhanumpali were recognized for their contributions to increasing vaccination rates in hard-to-reach areas through the establishment and operation of nonprofit organizations.
Jerome Kim, the director general of IVI, noted, "This year, we have selected four co-recipients who have contributed to leading innovation in vaccine research and increasing vaccination rates in underserved countries." An Jae-yong, the president of SK bioscience, said, "We will do our best to ensure the development and smooth supply of vaccines, inheriting the spirit of the late Vice Chairman Park Man-hoon, who led innovative vaccine development and contributed to the advancement of the health industry."
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on the 30th of next month, coinciding with the arrival of the awardees.