Incheon: Celltrion Inc., a major biopharmaceutical company, announced plans to invest 1.2 trillion won (US$805.6 million) in South Korea to expand its production facilities. This investment is part of the company's strategy to meet increasing global demand for its products. The expansion will take place at its Songdo facilities in Incheon, as well as other overseas locations, through 2030.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this investment is a key component of Celltrion's mid- to long-term business strategy. The company aims to secure stable production and supply of next-generation biosimilars and new drugs. Additionally, the expansion will prepare Celltrion for its contract manufacturing organization (CMO) business. The first phase involves expanding the fourth and fifth plants at the Songdo campus, adding a combined capacity of 180,000 liters.
Celltrion plans to strengthen its presence in the United States by expanding its facilities in Branchburg, New Jersey. This expansion will increase the drug substance capacity by 75,000 liters, reaching a total of 141,000 liters. The Branchburg facilities are expected to support the increasing demand for biopharmaceutical products in the United States and aid the company's CMO business.
Once all expansions are completed, Celltrion's total drug substance production capacity will rise to 571,000 liters from 316,000 liters. The company is aiming for complete in-house drug substance production to improve cost efficiency. Additionally, Celltrion will focus on enhancing drug product manufacturing to boost its end-to-end production competitiveness.
A new drug product facility at the Songdo campus is set to be completed within the year, with commercial production starting next year. This plant will have an annual capacity of 6.5 million vials, increasing the company's total capacity to 105 million vials per year. A Celltrion official stated that the investment will allow the company to respond to growing global demand for biologics while improving profitability through enhanced cost competitiveness and supply stability.