Bristol-Myers Squibb and Samsung BioLogics expand manufacturing alliance

Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced an expansion of its existing drug manufacturing agreement with Samsung BioLogics, which was first signed last year.

The new deal will increase the scope of partnership, with Samsung set to manufacture commercial drug substances and drug products for several Bristol-Myers Squibb biologic medicines at its Incheon manufacturing site.

By contrast, the terms of the original arrangement from July 2013 only covered the production of a single commercial antibody cancer drug substance.

Samsung can offer global biopharmaceutical capabilities through its fully-integrated production facilities, which offer process development, drug substance manufacturing and drug product fill and finish services at a single location.

Lou Schmukler, president for global manufacturing and supply at Bristol-Myers Squibb, said: "The expanded relationship with Samsung will increase our biologics manufacturing capability and give us the flexibility to respond to increased demand in order to meet the global needs of patients."

This comes after the firm allied with Five Prime Therapeutics last month on the discovery of new immuno-oncology therapies.