SK Bioscience, the Korean vaccine maker, is taking a $3 million stake in Fina Biosolutions, a Maryland-based biotech firm specializing in conjugate vaccine technology. The move marks SK Bioscience’s first strategic investment in FinaBio, as the company seeks to enhance its vaccine development capabilities.
FinaBio, founded in 2006, has developed proprietary technologies for producing critical proteins used in conjugate vaccines. Its flagship product, EcoCRM®, is a bacterial expression system that produces CRM197, a key component in many vaccines.
The deal gives SK Bioscience access to FinaBio’s expertise in conjugation techniques and carrier proteins. This technology is expected to improve the efficacy of SK Bioscience’s existing pneumococcal and typhoid vaccines while potentially boosting production efficiency.
FinaBio CEO Andrew Lees said the investment would accelerate the global commercialization of EcoCRM® and support development of next-generation conjugate vaccines. SK Bioscience’s chief, Ahn Jae-yong, emphasized the partnership’s role in advancing the company’s vaccine portfolio and expanding its global market presence.
This move follows SK Bioscience’s recent acquisitions, including German vaccine manufacturer IDT Biologika and a stake in US-based Sunflower Therapeutics, signaling an aggressive push into the global vaccine market.
