Pfizer loses patent lawsuit to SK Bioscience over Pneumococcal Vaccine
Seongnam: SK bioscience, a global vaccine and biotech company, has announced that the Supreme Court of Korea has ruled in its favor in a patent infringement lawsuit filed by large global pharmaceutical giant Pfizer over its 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13).
In 2020, Pfizer claimed that SK bioscience's export of PCV13 individual conjugate bulk substances and research-use finished products to Russia infringed on the composition patent of its vaccine, Prevnar 13.
However, the Supreme Court ruled that the individual conjugates comprising PCV13 do not fall within the scope of Pfizer's patent claims, thereby upholding the lower court's ruling in favor of SK bioscience. The Court also confirmed that the production and supply of PCV13 finished products for research purposes did not constitute patent infringement.
SK bioscience successfully developed Korea's first 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, SKYPneumo, in 2016. However, due to the ongoing patent dispute with Pfizer, the company has been prohibited from manufacturing and selling the vaccine in Korea until 2027, when the related patents set to expire.
Following the ruling, SK bioscience now plans to initiate new business in pneumococcal conjugate vaccines by exporting individual components of PCV13 to countries with high vaccine demand, such as those in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Technology transfers through local partnerships are also being pursued in parallel.
Looking ahead, SK bioscience aims to expand its presence in the global pneumococcal vaccine market. From 2027, the company will be able to manufacture and sell SKYPneumo domestically. In addition, the company is developing a 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine with global pharmaceutical company Sanofi, which entered Phase 3 global clinical in late 2024. Simultaneously, the two companies are also working on a next-generation pneumococcal vaccine that is expected to offer broader protection than current options.
The global pneumococcal vaccine market continues to grow. According to Global Market Insights, the market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of approximately 5.6% to reach USD 15.1 billion (approximately KRW 21.55 trillion) by 2034. This growth is driven by expanded vaccination programs and support from governments and international organizations like WHO and Gavi.
Jaeyong Ahn, CEO of SK bioscience, said, "This latest court decision is meaningful in that it ensures a competitively developed vaccine in Korea does not go to waste but instead finds new opportunity. We will leverage this momentum to improve access to premium vaccines, contribute to a stable global vaccine supply, and achieve sustainable growth."
Meanwhile, SK bioscience recently secured a definitive legal victory in a patent invalidation suit against Moderna, successfully challenging the biotech giant's Korean patent related to messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology. The contested patent covers 'modified nucleosides, nucleotides, and nucleic acids and their uses.'
