PR Center(News)

PCMO, Commences Construction of Bio Manpower Training Center...'24 Billion Won Investment'

- To be established within the Hwasun Vaccine Industry Special Zone in Jeollanamdo...aiming for 900 graduates by 2026 - Received a total of 24 billion won in government funding over four years starting from 2023 for the construction of the training center▲ Manpower Training Center Building RenderingPCMO (Director Min Cho, hereinafter referred to as the Center) announced on the 3rd that it has commenced construction of an educational facility aimed at fostering bio specialized workforce with a target completion date of May 2025 within the Hwaseong Vaccine Industry Special Zone in Jeollanamdo.The facility is designed to have a total floor area of 2,794 ㎡ across two floors above ground, featuring laboratories where students can directly engage in production and quality control testing, as well as residential facilities (including dormitories) for medium- to long-term training lasting more than two weeks. A total of 24 billion won in funding, supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Jeollanamdo, is planned to be invested.The Center aims to produce a total of 900 graduates by 2026 through internal facilities and education utilizing VR (Virtual Reality), aiming to address the shortage of field personnel demanded by the recent government and bio industries.According to feedback from graduates of the Center's education programs, they expressed satisfaction in gaining relative merits in job seeking activities through firsthand experiences, practical know-how, and field experiences that cannot be learned in school. Among the students who completed their education in 2023, some have reported being employed in various bio companies, with expectations for an increase in employment rates of graduates starting from this year as the business becomes more active.This project is based on the trust built by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Jeollanamdo, stemming from achievements in projects such as the establishment of PCMO as part of the Vaccine Global Industry Establishment Project since 2017 and the production of COVID-19 clinical trial samples. Additionally, the Center is actively engaged in operations such as signing agreements with companies like Samsung Biologics and Celltrion to achieve the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's 'Bio-Manufacturing Innovation Strategy'. With the bio industry being evaluated as one of the future growth engines, the Center's future activities are highly anticipated.

[Press Release] PCMO, Participating in MOTIE's 'Bio-Manufacturing Innovation Strategy'...

- MOUs signed for bio small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) support... Actively supporting demand-supply companies - Participating in the advancement of the ecosystem of the biopharmaceutical industry from talent cultivation to production innovationPCMO (Director Min Cho, hereinafter referred to as the Center) announced that it has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with 10 companies and organizations, including Samsung Biologics, Celltrion, the Bio Industry Association, and the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, to achieve the 'Bio-Manufacturing Innovation Strategy' announced by the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Resources (Ministry of Industry) on April 1st.The content of the agreement focuses on forming a consensus body to activate the bio SME (materials, parts, equipment) industry. To achieve this, they plan to collaborate on diversified cooperation such as research and development (R&D), commercialization, market entry, talent cultivation, etc., as well as to establish a foundation for securing a track record of bio SMEs and entering the global market, and to support customized production performance evaluation according to demand.This agreement includes a total of 10 companies and institutions, including KoreaBIO, KEIT(Korea Planning & Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology), Celltrion, Samsung Biologics, Samsung Bioepis, KRIBB(Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology), KBIOHealth(Osong Medical Innovation Foundation), Yonsei University K-NIBRT, Andong K-Bio CMO center, and PCMO. Through this consensus body, they plan to contribute to the activation of the bio SME (materials, parts, equipment) industry, which is essential for the formation of a biopharmaceutical manufacturing hub.In the announcement, the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Resources stated that it will attract 17.7 trillion won of private investment in the domestic biopharmaceutical and bio SME industries by 2030 to establish the world's leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing hub. For this purpose, they emphasized support for companies such as manufacturing and process development utilizing PCMO and K-Bio CMO center located in Hwasun and Andong.Furthermore, they highlighted practical training utilizing the center facilities as a means to foster bio talent necessary for establishing a global production hub. They plan to establish process training facilities through the educational facilities under construction in Hwasun and Andong and the Yonsei University K-NIBRT to provide field-specific professional training by providing industrial field experiences.In addition, the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Resources decided to proceed with the pre-feasibility study for the establishment of the Korean version of the Bio Manufacturing Innovation Platform (BioMADE) to advance advanced bio-production processes. They plan to collaborate with international institutions through linkage with public bio foundries to advance and commercialize production processes.Meanwhile, PCMO has been conducting the 'mRNA Vaccine Verification Support Base Construction Project' with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Resources and Jeollanam-do Province since 2022. Along with the completion of the mRNA manufacturing facility in 2025, they plan to provide full-fledged mRNA production services and have already been involved in mRNA-related tasks such as producing clinical samples for COVID-19. They intend to contribute to the development of the bio industry by combining the Ministry of Industry's 'Bio-Manufacturing Innovation Strategy' with existing projects.

[Press Release] PCMO and Honam University sign MOU... aiming to foster bio-industry talent

- Agreement signed to foster talent in the bio-industry... intending to continue cooperation to provide practical experience▲A commemorative photograph featuring officials from Honam University and the Microbial Verification Support CenterPCMO (Director Min Jo) and the Clinical Pathology Department of Honam University (President Sang-Cheol Park) announced on April 5th the signing of a business agreement (MOU) with the goal of promoting the bio-industry and fostering specialized manpower.The agreement focuses on sharing information in the biopharmaceutical industry in which both institutions are involved and fostering specialized manpower tailored to the demands of the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. To achieve this, the two institutions plan to actively cooperate on industry trends and information sharing, joint utilization of research and education infrastructure, development and operation of internship programs to enhance practical skills, and collaborative research related to the "30 Glocal Universities" project.The event for the signing of the business cooperation agreement was attended by key figures including President Sang-Cheol Park of Honam University, the Dean of the College of Health Sciences, the Director of the Industry-Academia Cooperation Division, the Director of the Start-up Support Team, as well as Yu-Ji Jang, the head of the Clinical Pathology Department, and Min Jo, the Director of PCMO.▲Center Director Min Jo and President Sang-Cheol Park introducing the center's facilitiesGovernment officials have shown high interest in fostering bio-talent for quite some time. Jeollanam-do and Hwasun-gun have been strengthening collaboration between academia and industry within the Hwasun Vaccine Industry Special Zone, centered around the Jeollanam-do Bio-Industry Promotion Institute, to establish a "WHO Global Bio-Campus." This business agreement between Honam University and the center can also be seen as part of the efforts to establish the bio-campus.The focal point of this agreement, the Clinical Pathology Department of Honam University, was established in 2021 and has already been actively involved, achieving notable successes such as winning the top award at the "Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology Student Forum" and presenting research on kimchi probiotics for obesity prevention. Additionally, the curriculum offers significant merits for acquiring essential knowledge in clinical trials related to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.PCMO was established in 2017 through the "Vaccine Global Industrialization Base Establishment Project" by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Jeollanam-do, and has been actively operating, including producing samples for COVID-19 clinical trials. Its services include contract development and manufacturing (CDMO), production of cell banks (MCB/WCB), and process development to support companies.Recently, the center has been conducting the "Vaccine Industry Specialized Manpower Development Project" commissioned by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Jeollanam-do from 2023 onwards to foster talent tailored to the needs of the bio-industry. It plans to graduate over 100 education participants by the end of this year and aims to complete construction of an education and dormitory facility by 2025 to operate formal education programs.

[Press Release] PCMO and Soonchunhyang University's Human Microbiome Medical Research Center Sign MO

- Agreement Signed to Facilitate Organic Collaboration in Microbiome Research and Development▲PCMO Located in Hwasun, Jeollanam-doPCMO (Director Min Jo) and Human Microbiome Medical Research Center at Soonchunhyang University (HM·MRC, Director Ho-Yeon Song) announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on April 4th to facilitate organic collaboration in research and development in the field of microbiome.The agreement emphasizes sharing information in the biopharmaceutical industry, mutual cooperation in research and development in the microbiome field of interest to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, and plans to continue cooperation in industry trends and information sharing, research collaboration and education, and utilization of facilities and equipment.Microbiome, also known as the 'second genome,' is expanding its scope beyond existing health functional foods and cosmetics to therapeutics and vaccines. According to Mirae Asset Securities, the global microbiome market is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 13.1% from 2022 to 2026, reaching $100.9 billion (approximately 13 trillion won) in 2026. Therefore, the MOU between the two institutions is considered significant.Meanwhile, Human Microbiome Medical Research Center at Soonchunhyang University is conducting research on the development of microbiome therapeutics for high-risk infectious and metabolic diseases as part of the Ministry of Science and ICT and Korea Research Foundation's Leading Research Center project. With a total project budget of 17 billion won over seven years from June 2023, the center is dedicated to research on 'human microbiome,' which is evaluated as a technology that will lead the future advanced bio-industry, based on the infrastructure and pre-existing research technology of the Probiotics Microbiome Commercialization Research Center (PMC).PCMO, established in 2017 through the 'Vaccine Globalization Base Construction Project' by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Jeollanam-do Province, continues to actively operate by producing domestic and foreign non-clinical and clinical samples for vaccines and therapeutics. It also engages in government projects to support companies developing mRNA vaccines, a cutting-edge technology highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, from development to production.Through this agreement, it is expected that the enhanced research and development cooperation in microbiome technology between the two institutions will contribute to the advancement of capabilities in the microbiome industry in the future.

[Center News] Announcement of PCMO Track Record

PCMO announces the total number of projects as of March 2024.If you have any inquiries regarding the content, please feel free to contact the following contact information.

[Press Release] PCMO, Gwangju·Jeonnam Bio Department Students Complete Bio-Pharma GMP Training

- A total of 16 participants completed the 3-week training from January 8th to 26th, recording an overall satisfaction score of 90.6, rated as 'Very Good.' ▲(January 26th) Photo featuring Director Min Cho, Professor Choi Cheol-woong, and the 16 graduates of the education program.PCMO (hereinafter referred to as the Center, Director Min Cho) announced that it has conducted a 3-week Bio-Pharmaceutical GMP training program for Gwangju·Jeonnam bio department students, producing 16 graduates.The training, held at the center located in Hwasun Vaccine Industry Special Zone, included both theoretical and practical training. Utilizing materials prepared by industry professionals and practical sessions using on-site facilities, the training also covered industry trends and advice, eliciting enthusiastic responses from the graduates.The curriculum was designed to harmonize theory and practice, based on the 'Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)' standards implemented by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The education curriculum included ▲ GMP basic training ▲ Validation, equipment verification ▲ Manufacturing facility theory and tour ▲ Utility (facility management) theory and practice ▲ Quality Control (QC) training. Responsible individuals in each field shared sincere stories based on their practical experiences.The satisfaction survey results for this training program showed an overall satisfaction score of 90.6, indicating high satisfaction with the ▲ education curriculum ▲ expertise of the instructors. However, some participants expressed dissatisfaction with the ▲ Quality Control (QC) practical training hours ▲ convenience of transportation, and these aspects are planned for improvement in the future.Beyond the educational content, participants responded to what they learned by highlighting ▲ insights and attitudes of industry professionals ▲ trends in the bio market ▲ consultations with industry professionals. Some trainees expressed that they found the experience valuable for gaining practical knowledge not taught in school, providing them with a competitive edge in future job preparation. ▲(January 18th) Photo introducing the utility facilities by Team Leader Go Young-doo from the Facility Management Team.Additionally, for market research purposes, the Center conducted a survey among the 16 graduates, targeting their preferences and feedback on employment and education. Over 70% expressed a preference for ▲ Quality Assurance (QA) ▲ Quality Control (QC) as their desired job positions in future employment. All participants indicated a preference for 'educational periods of one month or more.'As factors aiding employment, most respondents selected ▲ completion of education from accredited institutions ▲ personal research experience ▲ certifications ▲ language proficiency. Considerations when applying for education included ▲ education curriculum ▲ location of education ▲ feedback from previous graduates ▲ nearby public transportation.Based on the survey results, the Center plans to continue operating the ‘Manpower training for microbial based vaccine manufacturing’ supported by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy and Jeollanam-do. The goal is to graduate over 100 students by the end of this year and provide comprehensive education, including the completion of education and living facilities by 2025.