SK Plasma clinches $75m plasma tech deal with Turkey

SK Plasma said Thursday it has secured its largest technology export deal, signing a 65 million euro ($75 million) technology transfer and licensing agreement with Proturk, a joint venture backed by the Turkish Red Crescent, as part of Turkey’s effort to build domestic plasma fractionation capacity.

The contract marks the largest single agreement since SK Plasma was established in 2015, the company said.

Under the deal, SK Plasma will grant Proturk a license to manufacture plasma-derived pharmaceuticals at a future production facility in Turkey, while transferring related research, development and production technologies.

SK Plasma will also acquire a 15 percent stake in Proturk for 150,000 euros, allowing the company to receive dividends tied to the venture’s performance.

The Korean biopharmaceutical firm plans to begin transferring technology to local partners in Turkey, drawing on operational experience from its plasma fractionation plant in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province.

By developing standardized technology transfer manuals, SK Plasma said it aims to systematically manage risks that may arise during the process.

Once the production facility in Cubuk, Ankara, is completed, Turkey will be able to locally produce key plasma-derived medicines such as albumin and immune globulin, which have previously relied entirely on imports.

“We will expand our cooperation with the Turkish government to strengthen access to essential medicines and help build health care safety nets,” SK Plasma CEO Kim Seung-joo said.

“This project goes beyond exporting specific technologies. It represents the transfer of SK Plasma’s entire operational system to local facilities.”