Samsung BioLogics to build world's largest biopharma plant

Samsung BioLogics has broken ground on the construction of its third plant in Incheon Free Economic Zone, Songdo, Korea. The KRW850bn (€663m; US$725m) plant will be a world-leading facility both in terms of its 180,000 litre capacity and its production efficiency.

It is expected to be completed by 2017 and begin operation in the fourth quarter of 2018 after validation. Once it begins operation, Samsung BioLogics expects to become the world's largest biologics contract manufacturing organisation with a total production capacity of 360,000 litres.

'We are investing in a third plant to provide a stable supply of biopharmaceuticals, a market which is growing exponentially, and to meet the manufacturing demands from global biopharmaceutical companies,' said Dr TH Kim, CEO of Samsung BioLogics. 'With the world's largest capacity and the capability to operate 365 days a year non-stop, the third plant will boast world-class quality and productivity.'

In the longer term, the company plans to continuously expand its CMO business with further investments planned for a further two plants.

Samsung BioLogics' first plant has recently received official approval for production from the US Food and Drug Administration, and its second plant is scheduled to begin operation in early 2016.