SK bioscience Launches AI-Powered Initiative to Reduce Uncertainty in Vaccine-Development Decisions

• SK bioscience was selected to lead the Gates Foundation-funded ROTOR project, establishing a global collaboration framework.
• SK bioscience, PATH, Slalom, and SK AX will jointly develop an AI-powered platform for evidence-based clinical development decision-making.
• The project will support next-generation injectable rotavirus vaccine development and contribute to expanding vaccine access in LMICs.

INCHEON, South Korea, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SK bioscience announced that it will lead the Research Optimization & Trial Outcome Recommender (ROTOR) project, an AI-powered evidence synthesis and clinical development decision-support platform initiative funded by the Gates Foundation, establishing a global collaboration framework. The project is expected to involve technical collaboration with global health nonprofit PATH, and global technology consulting firm Slalom.

ROTOR is designed to build a platform that leverages AI to analyze diverse clinical, immunogenicity, and scientific datasets generated throughout the vaccine development process. The platform will support R&D decision-making and optimize clinical development strategies, facilitating more informed and evidence-based decisions under uncertainty. Over time, the platform is expected to evolve into a scalable AI solution applicable across a broad range of vaccines and disease areas.

The platform will be developed and validated using rotavirus vaccine development experience and datasets from both SK bioscience and PATH. By doing so, the initiative aims to strengthen R&D capabilities among vaccine developers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and contribute to expanding global vaccine access. Reusable components of the platform are expected to support broader adoption across the vaccine development ecosystem.

In pharmaceutical development, decisions on whether to advance into large-scale Phase III clinical trials are typically made based on Phase II trial results. However, in many vaccine fields, including rotavirus, decisions about whether to advance to large-scale Phase III trials are particularly challenging because validated immune correlates of protection may be limited or absent, and assay results may vary across methodologies. Given that Phase III clinical trials demand substantial financial resources and long-term investment period, the need to build a more scientific and objective decision-making framework has been consistently raised.

The ROTOR platform is expected to address these challenges by applying AI to analyze extensive clinical and research datasets, integrate diverse sources of scientific evidence, and generate structured decision-support insights for vaccine developers. This approach may improve development efficiency of vaccine development programs.

SK bioscience has built a strong track record of collaboration with global public health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), helping expand global health infrastructure and vaccine accessibility.

Most recently, the company signed a licensing agreement with the CDC to develop an injectable rotavirus vaccine. Earlier this year, it also entered into an agreement with Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI) for the development of a novel RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) antibody therapy. In February, SK bioscience secured a project from a European Union agency to develop a pandemic influenza (avian influenza) patch vaccine. The company is also advancing a broad infectious disease pipeline that includes Ebola vaccines and cell-culture-based avian influenza vaccines as part of its strategy to become a leading global vaccine company.

Jaeyong Ahn, CEO of SK bioscience stated, "This project represents a new approach to reducing uncertainty in vaccine development through AI and enabling more scientific and efficient decision-making. Through this consortium, we aim to drive innovation in vaccine R&D while contributing to improved vaccine access worldwide."

SK bioscience continues to advance AI-driven innovation across its R&D operations. The company has established AI-assisted experimental design systems based on accumulated research and manufacturing data to improve efficiency and identify optimal experimental conditions, reducing development timelines and trial-and-error processes. It is also implementing digital twin technologies to transform vaccine R&D and further enhancing AI-based data analytics and decision-making capabilities as part of its broader digital transformation (DT) strategy.

About SK bioscience

SK bioscience is an innovative vaccine and biotech company, committed to vaccine development and manufacturing to enable more equitable access to vaccines around the world. Leveraging strengths on cutting-edge technologies, SK bioscience has been dedicated to promoting human health from prevention to cure across the globe. With the cooperation of domestic and international governments, regulatory agencies, healthcare providers, doctors, and medical experts, all of the SK colleagues are passionately committed to providing high-quality vaccines to those who need them and better public healthcare solutions.

SK bioscience Communications Team
Changhyun Jin ([email protected])  
Tae-Gyun Kim ([email protected])
Mooncheol Kim ([email protected])

SOURCE SK bioscience