SK bioscience Leads Gates Foundation-Funded AI Vaccine Project

SK bioscience announced it will lead the Research Optimization and Trial Outcome Recommender (ROTOR) project, according to a press release. The initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, establishes a global collaboration to reduce uncertainty in vaccine development decisions.

ROTOR is being developed in partnership with global health nonprofit PATH, consulting firm Slalom, and SK AX. The project aims to create an AI platform that analyzes clinical, immunogenicity, and scientific datasets to support decision-making throughout the vaccine development process. It will initially focus on creating a next generation injectable rotavirus vaccine.

The platform is designed to integrate data from SK bioscience and PATH to optimize clinical development strategies. It seeks to improve efficiency in determining whether vaccine candidates should progress to large Phase III trials, where validated immune correlates are often limited.

Reusable components from the system are intended to support broader adoption across vaccine developers, particularly in low and middle income countries. The company continues to apply AI across its R&D operations to enhance analytical capabilities, experimental design, and data-driven decision-making in vaccine research.