Celltrion’s Ambitious CDMO Plant to Boost Global Biologics

South Korea’s renowned biosimilar developer, Celltrion Inc., is set to make a significant leap into the contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) sector. With an investment of 1.5 trillion won ($1 billion), the company plans to build a 200,000-liter production facility in Korea by 2025. This strategic move is supported by new R&D centres across India, the US, and Europe, targeting the recruitment of 500 Ph.D.-level researchers.

This venture marks Celltrion’s first foray into the CDMO market, a burgeoning sector in South Korea. The company aims to capture a slice of this expanding market by developing a comprehensive portfolio of products, including monoclonal to trispecific antibodies, and peptide and microbiome drugs. Competing against industry giants like Switzerland’s Lonza and local leaders such as Samsung Biologics, Celltrion’s move into CDMO is timely given the market’s growth potential. Unveiled at the Morgan Stanley Global Healthcare Conference, this strategy underscores the company’s commitment to diversifying its capabilities and revenue streams.

As Celltrion prepares to break ground on its inaugural CDMO facility, the biosimilar giant is poised to reshape its business trajectory. By establishing key R&D hubs and expanding its workforce, as “We need approximately 500 researchers with doctoral degrees to expand our CDMO business but our R&D human resources fall short of that.” Celltrion aims to secure a competitive edge in the global CDMO arena, with first revenues expected by 2028.

This ambitious expansion signals a promising future for Celltrion in the ever-evolving biologics industry.

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