Forums for clinicians to be held in Busan, followed by Gwangju, Daegu, and Jeonju to share prevention strategies and latest medical insights

Emphasizing the importance of preventing invasive meningococcal disease; introducing the quadrivalent conjugate vaccine MenQuadfi®

“We will continue academic exchange with frontline healthcare professionals to improve awareness of meningococcal disease”

SK bioscience will host a nationwide forum for healthcare professionals to raise awareness of meningococcal disease and the importance of vaccination.

The company announced on the 12th that it will hold a series of academic forums for clinicians in hospitals and local clinics across major regions?including Busan, Gwangju, Daegu, and Jeonju?from March 5 through April 19, starting in Busan. The forums aim to share strategies for preventing meningococcal disease and provide the latest clinical insights.

The forum was organized to discuss the global and domestic epidemiology and transmission patterns of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) as well as the importance of vaccination, while also exploring prevention strategies that can be applied in real-world clinical settings. At the first forum in Busan, Professor Soo Eun Park of Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital will chair the session, delivering lectures and leading discussions to share the latest academic findings with participating healthcare professionals.

Meningococcal infection is a severe bacterial disease that can cause acute meningitis or sepsis and is characterized by its rapid progression, often worsening within hours after onset. The disease has a high fatality rate, and survivors may experience serious long-term complications such as hearing loss, neurological disorders, or limb amputation. As a result, the importance of vaccination as a preventive measure is strongly emphasized. The risk of infection is known to increase in communal living environments, such as dormitories or military service.

During the forum, clinical data and real-world vaccination experience with the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine MenQuadfi®, which protects against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y, will also be introduced. Developed by global biopharmaceutical company Sanofi, MenQuadfi is supplied in Korea for infants and children by SK bioscience. As a conjugate vaccine covering major meningococcal serogroups, it can be administered starting from six weeks of age, expanding vaccination options for infants and young children.

Professor Soo Eun Park, who will chair the first forum session, said, “Awareness of meningococcal disease in Korea remains relatively low, while vaccination recommendations are expanding overseas, particularly among adolescents and young adults. I hope this forum will serve as an opportunity to share the latest medical insights with regional healthcare professionals and promote a prevention-centered approach to infectious disease response.”

Dr. Sumin Kang, Director of Saessak Pediatrics Clinic in Busan who attended the event, said, “Although meningococcal disease is not highly prevalent, it can be fatal once it occurs, making proactive prevention through vaccination extremely important. In particular, healthcare professionals need to provide active guidance to adolescents and those living in communal environments.”

Sooan Yoo, Head of Domestic Marketing at SK bioscience, said, “Because meningococcal disease is difficult to predict and progresses rapidly, vaccination remains the most effective preventive measure. Through continuous academic exchange with healthcare professionals nationwide, we will work to improve awareness of meningococcal disease and support the active use of preventive strategies?including MenQuadfi?in clinical practice.”

SK bioscience plans to further expand academic activities and educational programs for healthcare professionals to raise awareness of infectious disease prevention and contribute to improving the vaccination environment in Korea.