BIX 2025 Features Top Three CDMO Leaders: Samsung Biologics, Lonza, and Fujifilm

BioPlus-Interphex Opens on October 15
Global CDMOs Target Korea as Bio Competitiveness Rises

Leading global CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) companies have begun targeting the Korean market, which is boosting its bio-industry competitiveness.

Koh Hanseung, chairman of the Korea Bio Association, delivers the opening address at 'BioPlus-Interphex Korea 2025' held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 15th. Korea Bio Association

At "BioPlus-Interphex Korea 2025 (BIX 2025)," the largest domestic bio business platform that opened on October 15 at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, major global CDMO leaders such as Samsung Biologics, Lonza, and Fujifilm set up booths. CDMO companies are accelerating their efforts to enter the Korean bio industry, which is strengthening partnerships with global big pharma based on platform technologies. This exhibition, hosted by the Korea Bio Association, features 550 booths from over 300 companies across 15 countries.

Samsung Biologics set up its own booth for the second consecutive year. The company introduced its new CMO (Contract Manufacturing Organization) brand, "ExellenS™," to the domestic market for the first time, after debuting it at "Bio Japan 2025." ExellenS refers to an operational system that enhances technology transfer speed and approval potential through equal design, processes, and systems across factories. At this exhibition, Samsung Biologics is showcasing its end-to-end (full-cycle) services, which include a production capacity of 1,324,000 liters to be achieved by 2032, as well as organoids, CDO (Contract Development Organization), and next-generation modalities.

The booth of Samsung Biologics at 'BioPlus-Interphex Korea 2025 (BIX 2025)', the largest domestic bio business platform, which opened on the 15th at COEX, Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jung Donghoon

Lonza, a top competitor with Samsung Biologics in the CDMO market, approached the Korean market by highlighting its production capabilities in next-generation modalities such as ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugates), viral vectors, and exosomes. Shin Dongho, Director of Customer Management at Lonza Singapore, stated, "Although competition in antibody drug CDMO is fierce in Korea, more Korean biotech companies are showing interest in new modalities such as cell therapies and ADCs. I believe there will be demand for collaboration with Lonza in clinical trial material manufacturing and technical support at the early stages of global expansion for these companies."

Fujifilm, meanwhile, focused on its raw material supply chain rather than CDMO services at this exhibition. Park Yongjun, Sales Team Manager at Fujifilm Korea, said, "We supply raw materials not only to large CDMOs like Samsung Biologics and Lotte Biologics, but also directly to small and medium-sized biotech companies in the early stages of antibody development. The key is to establish relationships from the early clinical stage and penetrate the pipeline early."

Kim Kyungah, CEO of Samsung Bioepis, is visiting the company's booth at "BioPlus-InterPhex Korea 2025" held on the 15th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Samsung Bioepis

Samsung Bioepis, a developer of biosimilars and new drugs, also set up its own booth, allowing visitors to directly experience the perspectives and physical challenges faced by patients. The booth featured a VR (virtual reality) device simulating the visual distortion experienced by macular degeneration patients, as well as special gloves that restrict hand movement to mimic the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Kim Kyunga, CEO of Samsung Bioepis, visited the exhibition hall in the morning to tour the company’s booth.

The event, held under the theme "World's Most Tangible Bio-healthcare Convention," runs for three days until October 17. At the opening ceremony, Koh Hanseung, Chairman of the Korea Bio Association and Head of Future Business Planning at Samsung Electronics, emphasized, "Companies are continuing to take on challenges in an unpredictable global environment. Along with active institutional support from the government, efforts across the entire ecosystem are needed so that the bio industry can expand into new areas such as green, white, and cultured foods."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.