[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Paul Lee] SK Bioscience announced on the 8th that its sales fell 50.8% from the previous year to 456.7 billion won last year. During the same period, operating profit fell 75.7% to 115 billion won.
SK Bioscience earned 929 billion won as sales of AstraZeneca and NovaVax COVID-19 vaccines, which were in charge of consignment production, surged in 2021. Compared to 225.6 billion won in 2020, it was a 'surprise performance'.
However, sales of consignment production plunged as the vaccination rate fell and the spread of COVID-19 entered a lull.
Although its performance has decreased significantly, SK Bioscience announced additional investment plans on the same day. The move is aimed at using know-how in developing vaccines accumulated during the COVID-19 epidemic as a growth engine. Through the resolution of the board of directors, the cost to be put into the Songdo Global R&PD Center is 325.7 billion won. The amount includes 41.9 billion won in land purchase costs previously approved.
Using this cost, the company plans to open an R&PD center in the first half of 2025. Both the head office and research center in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, will be relocated to Songdo. SK Bioscience is also planning to create an open lab that can cooperate with global companies and institutions in the new R&PD center.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork@alphabiz.co.kr)
