image: Bird View of Korea University Mediscience Park, located in The Vaccine Innovation Center
Credit: KU Medicine
The Vaccine Innovation Center at Korea University College of Medicine (Director: Professor Heejin Jeong) has been selected as the lead institution for a health security research initiative under the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “2025 Korea-ARPA-H Project.”
The project, titled “Development of Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Agents and Combination Therapies to Prevent Severe Disease in Future Pandemics,” aims to create advanced therapeutics capable of effectively suppressing disease progression—the primary cause of mortality during pandemics. The research will run from 2025 to 2029, with a total budget of KRW 12.5 billion (approximately USD 9.5 million).
Korea University’s Vaccine Innovation Center will lead a multidisciplinary consortium in collaboration with Seoul National University, Yonsei University, S2CBIO Co., Ltd., and the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology. The project will focus not only on combating viruses themselves but also on preventing severe disease progression caused by excessive immune responses in the host. The ultimate goal is to establish a universal treatment platform that remains effective regardless of viral mutations. In addition, the research will prepare for “Disease X” scenarios—emerging infectious diseases for which current therapeutics are inadequate—by securing broad-spectrum antiviral agents and developing strategies to significantly reduce mortality rates in high-risk populations.
The anticipated outcomes of this research include reducing the disease burden on vulnerable groups—such as the elderly and individuals with underlying health conditions—while improving the efficiency of medical resource allocation during pandemic responses. It will also help position Korea to enter the high-value-added therapeutics market.
Principal Investigator Professor Kisoon Kim of the Vaccine Innovation Center stated, “Our core objective is to establish a comprehensive precision treatment strategy that can serve as a key countermeasure alongside vaccines in the event of future pandemics. By developing a broad-spectrum treatment platform applicable to both pandemic and endemic situations, we aim to make a tangible contribution to strengthening national health security.”
Director Jeong added, “Through this project, our center will further solidify its role as a central hub for vaccine and therapeutics research. By integrating medical and biotechnology innovations, we will create therapeutic strategies that are both universally applicable and highly effective.”