HLB Therapeutics signs contract for COVID vaccine distribution rights
Jeong Min Nam
Dec 20, 2022 (Gmt+09:00)
South Korea's pharmaceutical firm HLB Therapeutics Co. said on Monday that it has signed an agreement with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency after being selected as a contractor to build and operate a storage and distribution system for the COVID-19 vaccine next year.
The estimated project volume registered on the Public Procurement Service’s KONEPS Market was 32 billion won($24.6 million), but HLB Therapeutics won the contract by under-bidding at 22.4 billion won, 9.6 billion won less than that projected amount. Meanwhile, GC Biopharma(Green Cross Corp.), which was a contractor this year, bid 32 billion won. The confirmed contract amount is 20.4 billion won except for the value-added tax.
The company explained that it has accumulated experience since last year by taking part in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine as a partner to SK Bioscience.
"We will do our best to achieve sales of more than 100 billion won within two years from now based on the technology and know-how of running the nationwide cold chain business for many years," said Lee Pil-hyung, executive director of HLB Therapeutics' Cold Chain Business Headquarters.