Founded in 2011, Samsung Biologics has rapidly ascended to become a top-tier global CDMO, with further capacity and portfolio expansion on the horizon
Samsung Biologics, the biotech arm of Samsung Group, celebrated its 14th anniversary on Monday and reaffirmed its commitment to global biopharmaceutical leadership, guided by a growth strategy built on three pillars: production capacity, portfolio diversification and global expansion.
After posting a record 4.5 trillion won ($3.2 billion) in sales last year, the company is now aiming for 5 trillion won this year — just five years after it first crossed the 1 trillion won mark in 2020.
“Over the past 14 years, Samsung Biologics has provided top-quality service to global clients and led the contract development and manufacturing organization market,” said CEO John Rim. “We will continue to make proactive investments to enhance our competitiveness as we work together to realize our vision of enriching human life.”
Since entering the biopharmaceutical CDMO market in 2011 as a latecomer, Samsung Biologics has swiftly risen to industry leadership through aggressive capacity expansion and a rigorous focus on quality.
Its growth momentum was accelerated under the leadership of John Rim, who took the helm as CEO in late 2020. His 35 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, along with an extensive global network, has helped the company break records in both orders and sales.
The production scale of the Korean biopharmaceutical company is now at an all-time high.
The company currently holds the world’s largest biomanufacturing capacity at 784,000 liters, while maintaining top-tier inspection pass rates and securing more than 350 manufacturing approvals from global regulatory authorities.
With the completion of its fifth plant this month, which would add 180,000 liters of capacity, the company plans to build three additional facilities of similar scale by 2032, aiming for a total production capacity of approximately 1.32 million liters.
The company’s expanded capacity is closely tied to its high volume of contract deals.
With 17 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies now among its clients, the company has been bringing its presence closer to key partners through overseas offices in places such as New Jersey and Tokyo.
Since its founding, the company has secured 99 contract manufacturing agreements and 133 contract development deals, with cumulative orders totaling $16.3 billion.
Samsung Biologics surpassed 5 trillion won in total annual contract volume last year, driven in part by three major deals, each valued at over 1 trillion won. In January, the company secured its largest-ever contract manufacturing agreement worth 2.07 trillion won.
Samsung Biologics is also broadening its portfolio as part of its efforts to expand its global footprint.
In March, the company began operating a dedicated facility for antibody-drug conjugates, marking a strategic move into the market for next-generation cancer therapeutics. Future investments, the company said, will focus on new modalities, particularly in cell and gene therapies.
Beyond its commercial growth, the company remains committed to environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives within the biopharma sector.
In February, the company received the "Leadership" designation (A- rating) from the Carbon Disclosure Project in recognition of its efforts to mitigate climate-related risks.
According to the company, CEO John Rim is currently involved in the Sustainable Markets Initiative — a platform led by King Charles III to advance a sustainable future — which aims to decarbonize health care systems in collaboration with global partners.
minmin@heraldcorp.com
