Vaccine maker CSL Seqirus Korea has signed a strategic sales partnership with Samjin Pharmaceutical to distribute its influenza vaccines Fluad and Flucelvax in Korea, the companies said Wednesday.

Under the deal, CSL Seqirus will handle imports and supply of both shots, while Samjin, leveraging its commercial footprint, will take charge of marketing, promotion, and domestic distribution.

The partnership is part of a broader push to boost access to differentiated flu vaccines in Korea, CSL Seqirus Country Head of Korea Yoo Gee-seung said.

For Samjin, the collaboration marks a move beyond treatment into preventive care, President Kim Sang-jin added, calling it a “strategic step into the vaccine space.”

Fluad Quad Prefilled Syringe, approved locally in September 2022, contains the MF59 adjuvant and is designed for adults aged 65 and older, a group known to mount weaker immune responses. The adjuvant is meant to enhance immune protection and extend efficacy up to a year, potentially addressing unmet needs in Korea’s aging population.

Flucelvax Quad, approved in August 2024, is touted as the “world’s first” cell-based influenza vaccine. It currently covers patients aged two and up, but CSL said it expects the label to extend to infants as young as six months ahead of the 2025/26 flu season.

Unlike traditional egg-based vaccines, which can introduce mutations during production, CSL Seqirus said Flucelvax uses cell culture technology to maintain antigen match. It also offers a safer option for people with severe egg allergies and has shown superior real-world effectiveness in clinical settings, according to the company.