SK Bioscience chosen to lead Gates Foundation-funded ROTOR AI project

SOUTH KOREA—SK Bioscience has been selected to develop a new artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed to improve decision-making during vaccine development under the Gates Foundation-funded Research Optimization & Trial Outcome Recommender (ROTOR) project.

The initiative brings together SK bioscience, global health nonprofit PATH, consulting firm Slalom and technology partner SK AX to create an evidence-based system that helps researchers evaluate vaccine candidates before they enter costly late-stage clinical trials.

The ROTOR platform will analyse large volumes of scientific, immunogenicity and clinical trial data generated throughout vaccine research.

By combining these datasets, the platform aims to provide researchers with clearer insights and reduce uncertainty when deciding whether a vaccine should advance to Phase III clinical trials.

This challenge is particularly significant for vaccines against diseases such as rotavirus, where the absence of validated immune correlates and inconsistent laboratory assay results often make it difficult to predict clinical success.

The AI platform is expected to synthesise evidence from multiple sources and generate structured recommendations to support research teams.

The project will first be developed and validated using rotavirus vaccine datasets and expertise contributed by SK Bioscience and PATH.

Once validated, the platform is expected to expand to support research on other vaccines and infectious diseases.

According to the company, several components of the system will be designed for reuse, allowing broader adoption across the vaccine development sector, particularly by researchers in low- and middle-income countries.

Building on global vaccine partnerships

SK bioscience said pharmaceutical companies typically rely on Phase II clinical data when deciding whether to invest in large-scale Phase III studies.

By applying AI to extensive research datasets, the ROTOR platform aims to strengthen those decisions and improve research efficiency.

Chief Executive Officer Jaeyong Ahn said the project introduces a new approach to reducing uncertainty in vaccine development through AI while enabling more scientific and efficient decision-making.

He added that the international consortium will help accelerate innovation in vaccine research and development while improving global access to vaccines.

The latest announcement builds on several recent international initiatives by the company.

In May 2026, SK bioscience signed a vaccine technology transfer and manufacturing agreement with Colombia’s state-owned pharmaceutical company VECOL.

The partnership supports the country’s US$260 million vaccine localisation programme and will initially focus on local production of the company’s varicella vaccine, with opportunities to expand into additional vaccines.

More recently, the company published its 2026 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting continued investment in sustainable operations and global health partnerships.

Earlier this year, it also secured its first procurement agreement with UNICEF to supply influenza vaccines for international immunisation programmes, further strengthening its presence in global public health markets.