The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) said on Thursday that it has named three vaccine developers as co-recipients of the 2024 IVI-SK bioscience Park MahnHoon Award for developing an oral cholera vaccine, and Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines, respectively. 

Jan Holmgren, a professor at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, was honored for identifying immunoglobulin A (IgA), an important antibody in the intestinal mucosa, as an effective immunogenic agent against cholera and for developing the world's first oral cholera vaccine.

Co-recipients Barney Graham, MD, of Morehouse School of Medicine, the U.S., and Jason Mclellan, MD, at the University of Texas at Austin, the U.S., were credited for their work in developing Covid-19 and RSV vaccines.

The IVI stated that Dr. Graham's research on the application of DNA genetic information delivery technology contributed to the development of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines, while Dr. Mclellan devised the protein design methodology that is a key technology in the Covid-19 and RSV vaccines.

The IVI-SK bioscience Park MahnHoon Award, now in its third year, was established in 2021 to honor the achievements of Park Mahn-hoon, the late former Vice Chairman of SK bioscience, who pioneered cell culture-based vaccines in Korea. 

The award is presented annually to up to two individuals or teams who have made outstanding contributions to the discovery, development, and dissemination of vaccines and the advancement of global health. 

This year's award ceremony will take place at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul on April 25, the third anniversary of Vice Chairman Park's passing.

SK bioscience donates 100 million won ($75,931) in prize money to IVI each year for the award.