- Hands-on training conducted at the Microbial Commercialization Support Center in Hwasun, Jeonnam, from October 31 to November 1

- 23 trainees from 16 countries participated, contributing to enhanced global vaccine and biopharmaceutical quality management skills

▲    Group photo of trainees at PCMO

PCMO (Director Min Cho, hereafter referred to as the Center) announced the successful completion of the "2024 Vaccine and Biopharmaceutical Quality Management (GxP) Basic Training," a component of the "Global Bio Workforce Training Hub (GTH-B)" program, led by the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). This program hosted 23 trainees from 16 different countries.

The two-day training was held in the Hwasun Vaccine Industry Special Zone and focused on hands-on exercises designed to give trainees practical experience. Participants gained hands-on skills in microbial culture and purification processes, physicochemical and microbiological testing, and the use of VR-based culture process programs essential for the manufacturing and quality management of vaccines and biopharmaceuticals.

The curriculum was designed according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's ‘Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)’ and EU GMP’s ‘Annex 1 (Aseptic Manufacturing Requirements),’ offering participants a training aligned with global pharmaceutical standards. Emphasis was placed on helping trainees from diverse backgrounds and countries to understand these global standards. Industry experts delivered lectures based on their field experience, which were well-received by the trainees.

▲    VR culture process training session

▲    Storage facility tour

The training was conducted at PCMO as well as other facilities in the Hwasun Bio-Specialized Complex, including the Jeonnam Bioindustry Foundation's Biopharmaceutical Research Center and the Vaccine Safety Technology Support Center. Around 70 global trainees traveled to Hwasun, Jeonnam, for this program, marking significant progress since Hwasun's designation as a Global Bio Campus in July 2023.

PCMO is running a "Vaccine Industry Professional Training Program," funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy and Hwasun County, Jeonnam, with plans to train over 900 graduates by 2026. With a new training and residential center slated for completion in early 2025, more robust training programs are expected next year.

The IVI's "Global Bio Workforce Training Hub (GTH-B)" is a program launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022. The program has provided training to over 800 professionals thus far, and with the recent establishment of the GTHB Support Foundation and the upcoming Global Bio Campus (GBC), it aims to further strengthen vaccine manufacturing capabilities in low- and middle-income countries.