On September 8, 2017, Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo Vaccine (KDSV) received the Award, the most prestigious healthcare award presented by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam to individuals and organizations that have made substantial contributions to the development medicine in this country.

This award was received out of recognition of the strong praise received for KDSV’s involvement in a technical cooperation project spearheaded by Japan International Cooperation Agency since 2013. This project was aimed at providing technical cooperation for commencing, for the first time, domestic production of the measles-rubella combined vaccine (MR vaccine) in Vietnam.

Through this project, KDSV utilized its manufacturing technologies to support Vietnam in domestically producing high-quality MR vaccines based on Good Manufacturing Practices. This project follows in the tradition of the previously completed technical cooperation production for strengthening Vietnam’s capacity for measles vaccine production. The MR vaccine project entailed inviting approximately 50 individuals from Vietnam to take part in a total of 1,500 days’ worth of training in Japan. The curriculum for this training included 325 items related to rubella vaccine bulk solution manufacturing technologies, MR vaccine formulation technologies, testing, and quality management. In addition, KDSV employees provided an aggregate total of 3,400 days’ worth of on-site technical instruction at manufacturing facilities in Vietnam.

On March 27, 2017, the Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals (POLYVAC), the Vietnamese public corporation that was the recipient of the technical cooperation, obtained marketing approval for the MR vaccine a year ahead of the initial schedule. POLYVAC plans to begin supplying vaccines for routine vaccination of Vietnamese children in November 2017.

KDSV’s mission is to contribute to public health by creating innovative vaccines and reliably supplying high-quality vaccines. To fulfill this mission, KDSV will strive to always be a vaccine company that addresses social needs and that is trusted by individuals receiving vaccinations, their families, healthcare professionals, and everyone else.