SK bioscience Wins Major RIGHT Foundation Grant to Advance Global RSV Antibody Program

New updates have been reported about SK bioscience.

SK bioscience has secured KRW 4 billion (about USD 3.0 million), the maximum Product Development Award from the RIGHT Foundation, to accelerate a Phase 1b clinical trial of its RSV preventive monoclonal antibody candidate RSM01 in infants. The funding, the largest-ever grant from the RIGHT Foundation, directly supports early-stage clinical development and positions SK bioscience to move quickly from first-in-human safety data toward broader pediatric evaluation.

RSM01, in-licensed this month from the Gates Medical Research Institute, was originally discovered by Adimab and has completed preclinical work and a Phase 1a trial, with data showing suppression of RSV infection and replication, including against strains less responsive to existing products. SK bioscience holds exclusive global supply rights, except for non-exclusive rights in India and Gavi-eligible markets, and plans a dual-track strategy: premium commercialization in high-income countries and high-volume, lower-cost supply for developing markets, targeting a preventive antibody segment projected by Evaluate Pharma to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2032.

The company will manage clinical development from Phase 1b through process development, scale-up, and commercialization, leveraging its established vaccine manufacturing infrastructure to support timely global supply if efficacy and safety are confirmed. Management frames the agreement as validation of both the Gates MRI-derived technology and SK bioscience’s platform capabilities, reinforcing its ambition to be a competitive global player in infectious disease prevention.

Beyond RSV, SK bioscience continues to build a diversified pipeline, including next-generation pneumococcal and universal coronavirus vaccines, avian influenza candidates, and mRNA and other next-generation platforms, with the RSV program expected to serve as a cornerstone asset within this portfolio. The integrated approach—spanning R&D, process development, manufacturing, and supply—is intended to underpin mid- to long-term revenue growth while aligning with global health priorities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where RSV remains a major cause of infant hospitalization and healthcare burden.