GC Pharma to distribute Moderna Covid vaccine in Korea

A nurse prepares a vaccine at a public health center in Geumcheon District, western Seoul, on Friday. [YONHAP]

GC Pharma was selected as the sole distributor of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccines in Korea on Friday.

The company was the sole bidder for the government task. It submitted a budget of 34.2 billion won, according to the Public Procurement Service.

Moderna’s vaccines use mRNA technology that requires “cold chain” storage to remain effective. It can be stored up to six months at minus 20 degrees, but is also expected to be stable at a normal refrigeration temperature of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius for 30 days.

GC Pharma’s role would be setting up cold chain logistics systems and devising a way of tracking vaccine supplies and injections.

That makes GC Pharma one of the two bio pharmaceutical firms partnered with the government for Covid-19 vaccine distribution. SK Bioscience won a deal last month to take charge of distributing vaccines from AstraZeneca, Janssen, Pfizer and the Covax Facility, an international coalition that promotes equal vaccine supply globally.

BY SONG KYOUNG-SON [song.kyoungson@joongang.co.kr]