South Korean biopharmaceutical company GC Biopharma (KS:006280) announced on Monday that it has signed an agreement with Curevo Vaccine to secure contract manufacturing (CMO) rights for amezosvatein (development name: CRV-101), a recombinant shingles vaccine currently under clinical development.

Under the terms of the agreement, GC Biopharma will be responsible for producing a portion of the commercial supply of amezosvatein for global markets.

Amezosvatein is an adjuvanted recombinant protein vaccine, similar in format to Shingrix, but uses a synthetic adjuvant designed to reduce local (injection-site pain) and systemic (influenza-like) reactions after vaccination to levels typical of conventional vaccines. The company believes this feature could position the product as a differentiated alternative with a superior tolerability profile.

GC Biopharma added that the addition of amezosvatein to the shingles vaccine landscape will offer patients and healthcare providers a valuable alternative, expanding choice in a market currently dominated by a single product.