A domestic biotech venture firm has signed a contract to transfer its avian influenza vaccine technology to a U.S. company.

Under the contract, the Korean firm Protheon will receive one million dollars from MediVas for the transfer and an additional four million dollars if it produces the vaccine for sale. Protheon will also receive royalties on the sales.

The Yonsei University-affiliated Protheon will provide technology to produce antigens against the avian flu virus, with which MediVas will develop bird flu vaccines with greater efficacy.

The head of Protheon said the U.S. firm could develop and commercialize a bird flu vaccine within two years thanks to eased regulations in the United States.