Prof. Walter Orenstein and Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) recognized for contributions to global immunization and vaccine equity

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and SK bioscience held the 2026 IVI-SK bioscience Park MahnHoon Award Ceremony in Seoul, honoring Prof. Walter A. Orenstein and the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) for their extraordinary and complementary contributions to global immunization and vaccine equity.

At the ceremony in Seoul, IVI convened the awardees and distinguished guests from government, academia, industry, and civil society, underscoring the essential role of both visionary vaccine policy and resilient, sustainable manufacturing in advancing global immunization. In welcoming remarks, IVI Director General Dr. Jerome H. Kim noted that the 2026 awardees exemplify these two complementary pillars of the global vaccine ecosystem.

Prof. Orenstein was recognized for decades of leadership in immunization policy and practice, including senior roles at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Emory University, and the Gates Foundation, which have helped shape national and global vaccination programs and contributed to historic reductions in vaccine?preventable diseases. His career reflects the critical role of evidence based policy in translating scientific advances into public health impact.

Prof. Orenstein said, “This award is one of the greatest honors of my career and my life. I am so thankful for all that IVI has done, is doing, and will do to make this world a better place by developing and promoting vaccines to prevent burdensome diseases. The focus of my career has been to get safe and effective vaccines into the bodies of the people for whom they are recommended, inducing both individual and community immunity. Vaccines don’t save lives ?vaccinations save lives. As a vaccination community, we must continue to strengthen confidence in the safety and effectiveness of approved vaccines and overcome barriers to vaccine access and uptake.”

DCVMN was honored for its outstanding institutional contribution to global health through collaboration, innovation, and capacity building. By strengthening vaccine manufacturing in low and middle income countries (LMICs) and supporting regulatory convergence and WHO prequalification, DCVMN has played a central role in expanding access to high?quality, affordable vaccines and reinforcing global supply resilience.

Mr. Rajinder Suri, CEO of DCVMN, said, “On behalf of DCVMN International, I am honored to receive the prestigious Park MahnHoon Award. This recognition is a strong testament to the contributions and role of our member companies in innovating, developing, and manufacturing affordable COVID-19 vaccines 9.8 billion doses, representing more than 60 percent of global production. Beyond saving millions of lives, this collective effort has strengthened manufacturing capacity and self reliance in LMICs through innovation, collaboration, and training. We are sincerely grateful to the Award Selection Committee, IVI, and SK bioscience for their trust in DCVMN, and we remain committed to standing ready to respond to future Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs).”

Dr. Jerome H. Kim said, “This year’s Park MahnHoon Award reflects a lesson learned repeatedly: immunization is most effective when policy and production advance together. Prof. Orenstein has translated evidence into stronger vaccination programs, while DCVMN has strengthened the manufacturing capacity needed to expand access to affordable, high?quality vaccines. Together, they show how vaccine equity is achieved in practice. IVI appreciates SK bioscience for its partnership in advancing vaccine innovation and equity and the Award Selection Committee for upholding the highest standards of global health impact.”

About the IVI - SK bioscience Park MahnHoon Award

The IVI-SK bioscience Park MahnHoon Award is presented annually to up to two individuals and/or institutions worldwide that have made exceptional contributions to the field of vaccines. First presented in 2022, the Award honors the legacy of the late Dr. Park MahnHoon, former Vice Chairman of SK bioscience and a pioneer of cell?culture vaccines in Korea, whose leadership guided the development of several vaccines critical to global public health.

Since its inception, the Award has recognized some of the world’s most distinguished vaccinologists and public health leaders, including Dr. Tore Godal, and Profs. Drew Weissman and Katalin Kariko (2022), recipients of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; Drs. Rino Rappuoli and Mariagrazia Pizza, and Profs. Andrew Pollard and Sarah Gilbert (2023); Prof. Jan Holmgren, along with Drs. Barney Graham and Jason McLellan (2024); and Prof. Pierre van Damme and Dr. Ananda Sankar Bandyopadhyay, as well as Ms. Luiza Helena Trajano and Ms. Svetha Janumpalli.