Celltrion to build $230m Korea manufacturing plant

Celltrion will construct a 99,000 square-meter biomanufacturing plant in Yesan County, South Korea.   

Celltrion,has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Yesan County, and the South Chungcheong’s provincial government to construct a manufacturing facility in South Chungcheong province the Korean drugmaker told this publication. 

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The 300 billion won ($230 million) manufacturing facility, which is said to be complete by 2028, is situated about 79 miles southwest of Seoul. Additionally, the plant is expected to create 1,500 jobs.

Further details regarding the construction plan in Yesan are to be announced later, a spokesperson for Celltrion told us. 

In September, Celltrion upped its drug product capacity in South Korea with a 126 billion won ($94.5 million) investment to build a plant at its site in Songdo. It is anticipated this will be operational by 2027.  

Additionally, Celltrion anticipates the launch of its subcutaneous formulation of autoimmune disease treatment, Zymfentra’s, US launch in February 2024.

Zymfentra received FDA approval for the maintenance therapy of adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.  

Moreover, the firm has previously hinted at plans to expand in the US with a new plant. However, with the US President Joe Biden’s Executive Order outlined last year aimed at advancing domestic biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation, the idea was put on ice.

“In terms of the U.S expansion plan, this is still under discussion. Celltrion has a robust pipeline of products in development aimed at the US market and we remain committed to expanding access to innovative biologics to improve care for U.S. patients,” a spokesperson for Celltrion told BioProcess Insider.

In March, Seo Jung-jin, chairman for Celltrion said the Korean firm is “keeping a close eye on the Biden executive order.” He added: “With so much of our revenue coming from the US market, there is no reason to avoid building a plant in the US.”