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News & Events
The CEO, Dr. Jee, shared strategies for strengthening the infectious disease response and preparedness at the global startup fair, “NextRise 2021, Seoul.”
2021-07-15
The CEO, Dr. Jee, shared strategies for strengthening the infectious disease response and preparedness at the global startup fair, “NextRise 2021, Seoul.”
Dr. Youngmee Jee, CEO of Institut Pasteur Korea (IPK), proposed strategies for global pandemic preparedness based on the current status of global and domestic infectious disease R&D at the global startup fair, “NextRise 2021, Seoul.”
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Screen capture of “NextRise 2021, Seoul” YouTube broadcast
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"The core of infectious disease research lies in public-private partnerships, and COVID-19 has provided an opportunity for Korea to overhaul its research cooperation system and strengthen the global partnership. We need vaccines and therapeutics to overcome the pandemic, and COVID-19 vaccines currently being used are a product of science and technology. Therefore, continuous and bold R&D support is essential to be prepared for the future infectious diseases.”
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"The core of infectious disease research lies in public-private partnerships, and COVID-19 has provided an opportunity for Korea to overhaul its research cooperation system and strengthen the global partnership. We need vaccines and therapeutics to overcome the pandemic, and COVID-19 vaccines currently being used are a product of science and technology. Therefore, continuous and bold R&D support is essential to be prepared for the future infectious diseases.”
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<<Replay Dr. Jee's Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMxHnTyAyQg>>
Dr. Youngmee Jee, the world-leading expert on infectious diseases, opened the talk by stating that ever since the Spanish flu hit mankind about 100 years ago, international efforts have been put forth to strengthen the response to infectious diseases. As a result, global governance such as the WHO International Health Regulation (IHR) has been established; advancements in science have enabled the discovery of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines; and public health has been making progress with the help of cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence.
Addressing global governance in response to infectious diseases, Dr. Jee introduced the role of WHO, based on her diverse activities at WHO as a member of the R&D Blueprint Scientific Advisory Group and the COVID-19 IHR Emergency Committee. She explained that the WHO operates and manages the IHR and implements prompt measures through the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in the event of an international public health crisis. In particular, WHO established the R&D Blueprint as a responsive action to the Ebola outbreak in the 2010s which carries out R&D for prioritized pathogens that are likely to cause a pandemic before an outbreak occurs. Assessing that WHO has acted as a coordinator to promote R&D for COVID-19 vaccines to be successfully developed and used within a historically short period of less than one year, Dr. Jee stated that WHO is making efforts for vaccines equity in cooperation with international partnerships such as CEPI, GAVI, and Global Fund and providing vaccines to developing countries through the ACT-Accelerator.
Next, Dr. Jee introduced the current status and strategies for responding to infectious diseases in Korea. Dr. Jee previously served as Director-General of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and the Center for Immunopathology of Korea National Institute of Health, KCDC (now, KDCA), leading the way in overcoming the health crisis in Korea. Dr. Jee explained that Korea established the 2nd National Research Strategy for Crisis Response to Infectious Diseases following MERS, and introduced the Government-wide R&D Fund for Infectious Diseases Research (GFID) and the Multi-sectoral One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Initiative for AMR Control, which are carried out as part of the strategy. Particularly, through the GFID, R&D progress has been achieved in areas such as personal protective equipment that can be used at the quarantine site and infectious disease spread prediction model. Additionally, along with the complementary roles of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Science and ICT for infectious disease R&D, she argued that there should be continuous development of platforms such as the Korea Mouse Phenotyping Center (KMPC), which supports preclinical trials of vaccines and therapeutics, and the Korea National Enterprise for Clinical Trials (KONECT), which supports clinical trials.
Furthermore, Dr. Jee introduced the status of IPK’s drug repositioning research for the discovery of COVID-19 therapeutics and revealed that IPK has discovered four drug candidates through cell-based screening and that they are undergoing clinical trials in Korea and abroad; moreover, the antiviral efficacy of the drug candidates against some SARS-CoV-2 variants in cell culture experiments was found equally effective compared to the early SARS-CoV-2 isolate. She mentioned that the Institut Pasteur International Network (IPIN) enabled the implementation of global clinical trials and IPK will play the role of an infectious disease R&D hub representing around 10 institutes of the IPIN in the Asia-Pacific region.
Finally, Dr. Jee emphasized the importance of public-private partnership in infectious disease research. Referencing the US ACTIV model as an example, she said that it is necessary to establish a system in which the government and businesses can efficiently cooperate on an equal footing. She stressed the importance of the 3rd National Research Strategy for Crisis Response to Infectious Diseases containing an R&D roadmap to prepare for future infectious disease (Disease X), as well as reinforcement of the role of the Infectious Disease Research Forum, which sets priorities for national infectious disease response investment plan and R&D based on industry-academia partnerships. She also said that while Korea should actively participate in global partnerships such as CEPI, there should be expanded support for Korea-led global infectious disease technology development research such as the RIGHT Fund.
Dr. Jee emphasized, "The core of infectious disease research lies in public-private partnerships, and COVID-19 has provided an opportunity for Korea to overhaul its research cooperation system and strengthen the global partnership. We need vaccines and therapeutics to overcome the pandemic, and COVID-19 vaccines currently being used are a product of science and technology. Therefore, continuous and bold R&D support is essential to be prepared for the future infectious diseases.”
“NextRise 2021, Seoul” is a global startup fair hosted by KDB Industrial Bank and the Korea International Trade Association, held online and at COEX from June 28 to 29. More than 800 large and medium-sized companies, startups, and venture investors from Korea and overseas attended.
Dr. Youngmee Jee, the world-leading expert on infectious diseases, opened the talk by stating that ever since the Spanish flu hit mankind about 100 years ago, international efforts have been put forth to strengthen the response to infectious diseases. As a result, global governance such as the WHO International Health Regulation (IHR) has been established; advancements in science have enabled the discovery of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines; and public health has been making progress with the help of cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence.
Addressing global governance in response to infectious diseases, Dr. Jee introduced the role of WHO, based on her diverse activities at WHO as a member of the R&D Blueprint Scientific Advisory Group and the COVID-19 IHR Emergency Committee. She explained that the WHO operates and manages the IHR and implements prompt measures through the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in the event of an international public health crisis. In particular, WHO established the R&D Blueprint as a responsive action to the Ebola outbreak in the 2010s which carries out R&D for prioritized pathogens that are likely to cause a pandemic before an outbreak occurs. Assessing that WHO has acted as a coordinator to promote R&D for COVID-19 vaccines to be successfully developed and used within a historically short period of less than one year, Dr. Jee stated that WHO is making efforts for vaccines equity in cooperation with international partnerships such as CEPI, GAVI, and Global Fund and providing vaccines to developing countries through the ACT-Accelerator.
Next, Dr. Jee introduced the current status and strategies for responding to infectious diseases in Korea. Dr. Jee previously served as Director-General of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and the Center for Immunopathology of Korea National Institute of Health, KCDC (now, KDCA), leading the way in overcoming the health crisis in Korea. Dr. Jee explained that Korea established the 2nd National Research Strategy for Crisis Response to Infectious Diseases following MERS, and introduced the Government-wide R&D Fund for Infectious Diseases Research (GFID) and the Multi-sectoral One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Initiative for AMR Control, which are carried out as part of the strategy. Particularly, through the GFID, R&D progress has been achieved in areas such as personal protective equipment that can be used at the quarantine site and infectious disease spread prediction model. Additionally, along with the complementary roles of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Science and ICT for infectious disease R&D, she argued that there should be continuous development of platforms such as the Korea Mouse Phenotyping Center (KMPC), which supports preclinical trials of vaccines and therapeutics, and the Korea National Enterprise for Clinical Trials (KONECT), which supports clinical trials.
Furthermore, Dr. Jee introduced the status of IPK’s drug repositioning research for the discovery of COVID-19 therapeutics and revealed that IPK has discovered four drug candidates through cell-based screening and that they are undergoing clinical trials in Korea and abroad; moreover, the antiviral efficacy of the drug candidates against some SARS-CoV-2 variants in cell culture experiments was found equally effective compared to the early SARS-CoV-2 isolate. She mentioned that the Institut Pasteur International Network (IPIN) enabled the implementation of global clinical trials and IPK will play the role of an infectious disease R&D hub representing around 10 institutes of the IPIN in the Asia-Pacific region.
Finally, Dr. Jee emphasized the importance of public-private partnership in infectious disease research. Referencing the US ACTIV model as an example, she said that it is necessary to establish a system in which the government and businesses can efficiently cooperate on an equal footing. She stressed the importance of the 3rd National Research Strategy for Crisis Response to Infectious Diseases containing an R&D roadmap to prepare for future infectious disease (Disease X), as well as reinforcement of the role of the Infectious Disease Research Forum, which sets priorities for national infectious disease response investment plan and R&D based on industry-academia partnerships. She also said that while Korea should actively participate in global partnerships such as CEPI, there should be expanded support for Korea-led global infectious disease technology development research such as the RIGHT Fund.
Dr. Jee emphasized, "The core of infectious disease research lies in public-private partnerships, and COVID-19 has provided an opportunity for Korea to overhaul its research cooperation system and strengthen the global partnership. We need vaccines and therapeutics to overcome the pandemic, and COVID-19 vaccines currently being used are a product of science and technology. Therefore, continuous and bold R&D support is essential to be prepared for the future infectious diseases.”
“NextRise 2021, Seoul” is a global startup fair hosted by KDB Industrial Bank and the Korea International Trade Association, held online and at COEX from June 28 to 29. More than 800 large and medium-sized companies, startups, and venture investors from Korea and overseas attended.