by Sungmin Kim
Samsung Biologics' plan to construct its 5th and 6th plants and to enter the CDMO of new cell and gene therapy.
Samsung Group announced on the 24th that it will make a large-scale investment of 240 trillion won over the next three years, revealing its vision to achieve 'the second semiconductor legend through strengthening CDMO and biosimilars' in relation to the bio business.
This is a detailed description Samsung Biologics CEO John Lim said at JPM 2021 earlier this year that he would expand to new businesses in cell and gene therapy, vaccines and virus vector areas.
The official said, "Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepis will continue to invest aggressively also in the future to secure their role as a global biopharmaceutical production hub by constructing plant 5 and 6 in the CDMO field. We plan to enter the CDMO market for next-generation therapeutics such as gene therapy.”
He added, “After the COVID-19 pandemic, the bio-industry is transforming from a ‘high value-added knowledge industry’ to a ‘national security industry’.”
Samsung has completed three CDMO plants in nine years since starting the bio business, and when the fourth plant under construction is completed in 2023, Samsung Biologics will secure a production capacity of 620,000 liters (CPAP).
Samsung Bioepis explained that it has continued to strengthen its global competitiveness, with its 10th product currently in clinical phase and five products being released in the global market. In addition, it is planning to focus on expanding and upgrading pipelines of biosimilar.
Samsung also aims to contribute to vitalizing the ecosystem/cluster in the domestic bio industry through ▲ development of professional manpower, ▲ localization of raw materials ▲ technical support of small and medium-sized biotech companies.