Celltrion unveiled plans on Tuesday for a major expansion of its production facilities, including a massive investment exceeding 1 trillion KRW (about 665 million USD) at its Songdo headquarters.
This ambitious expansion project is set to unfold in stages from this year through 2030, encompassing the domestic Songdo campus, U.S. production sites, and other domestic operations.
The investment marks a pivotal moment for Celltrion, going beyond mere facility expansion. It aims to establish a robust foundation for long-term growth, ensuring stable production and supply of next-generation biosimilars and new drugs in development, while also bolstering its global contract manufacturing (CMO) business.
At the heart of this initiative, Celltrion will pour 1.2265 trillion KRW (about 816 million USD) into simultaneously expanding its 4th and 5th plants at the Songdo campus in Incheon, creating a total capacity of 180,000 liters.
These new facilities will be equipped with cutting-edge automation systems and smart factory technologies, significantly enhancing production efficiency and flexibility.
To strengthen its foothold in the U.S. market, Celltrion has also finalized plans to expand its Branchburg, New Jersey facility. The company has increased its initial expansion target from 66,000 liters to 75,000 liters, which will boost the site’s total drug substance (DS) production capacity from 66,000 liters to an impressive 141,000 liters.
Once these domestic and international expansions are complete, Celltrion’s Drug Substance (DS) production capacity will skyrocket from 316,000 liters to 571,000 liters. This dramatic increase is expected to enable 100% in-house DS production, leading to substantial cost savings.
Celltrion’s investment strategy extends beyond DS production, with comprehensive plans to enhance its global competitiveness in finished drug product (DP) manufacturing.
The new DP production facility under construction at the Songdo campus is making rapid progress, with over 70% completion. It’s on track to be finished this year, with commercial production slated to begin next year.
This dedicated DP facility will have an annual capacity of 6.5 million liquid vials. When combined with the existing Plant 2’s maximum output of 4 million vials per year, Celltrion’s Songdo campus alone will boast a staggering DP manufacturing capacity of 10.5 million vials annually.
In a separate development, Celltrion has secured a site for a new DP factory in the Yesan industrial complex in South Chungcheong Province. Design work for this facility is scheduled to commence within the year.
A Celltrion spokesperson emphasized that this strategic investment will significantly boost the profitability through unparalleled cost competitiveness and enhanced supply stability. By building a comprehensive production infrastructure that spans new drugs, biosimilars, and the CMO business, they’re positioning Celltrion to ascend to the ranks of global top-tier pharmaceutical companies.