Celltrion aims for 40 biosimilars by 2038, ramps up ADC, multispecific programs
SAN FRANCISCO — Celltrion reaffirmed its commitment to expanding both its biosimilar and novel drug pipelines as the Korean biopharmaceutical company unveiled progress across its portfolio at this year’s JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco on Tuesday.
“We plan to further expand our biosimilar pipeline, aiming to bring more than 40 products to market by 2038. This will help solidify our position as a global leader in biosimilars,” said Celltrion CEO Seo Jin-seok during his presentation at the Westin St. Francis Hotel.
Celltrion was one of only two Korean companies invited to present on the conference’s main track, alongside Samsung Biologics.
“At the same time, we are building out our novel drug programs, supported by strong cash flow from the biosimilar business and leveraging the antibody expertise we have accumulated over the years,” Seo said. “As each program advances into clinical development and delivers key readouts year by year, Celltrion’s identity as a new drug developer will become increasingly visible.”
Seo, the eldest son of Celltrion founder and Chairman Seo Jung-jin, said the company planned to submit up to 16 investigational new drug applications by 2028. These include 10 antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), four multispecific antibodies, one recombinant protein and one peptide, with the goal of commercializing up to 18 products by 2030.
Celltrion’s ADC candidates — CT-P70, CT-P71 and CT-P73, which target solid tumors, along with CT-P72, a tetravalent bispecific antibody targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and CD3 — all received investigational new drug approvals from the US Food and Drug Administration last year and have since entered Phase 1 clinical trials.
“As our portfolio expands, we expect our addressable market to grow to more than four times its size in 2025,” Seo said. “With this steady growth, our biosimilar business will continue to expand, and its global presence will remain a key driver for Celltrion.”
Addressing manufacturing expansion, Celltrion Senior Executive Vice President Lee Hyuk-jee said the company planned to invest more than $18 billion over the next decade in its newly acquired biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Branchburg, New Jersey, to double its production capacity to 132,000 liters.
Lee noted that the US facility helps mitigate tariff risks and ensures a more stable supply chain, while also enabling faster earnings contributions through ongoing contract development and manufacturing projects for Eli Lilly.
Celltrion acquired the Branchburg facility from Eli Lilly in a $330 million transaction that was completed at the end of last year.
hwkan@heraldcorp.com
