Celltrion Surpasses 55% Progress in Songdo DP Plant Construction... Accelerating Efforts to Strengthen Domestic Production Capacity

Annual DP Production Capacity Expected to Triple

Celltrion announced on December 9 that it is accelerating efforts to strengthen its production capacity, following the acquisition of manufacturing facilities in the United States and the construction of a new drug product (DP) manufacturing facility in Songdo, Incheon, where the construction progress has surpassed approximately 55%.

The new DP plant, which Celltrion is expanding on a site adjacent to its existing Plant 1, received construction approval in February this year. Basic construction was completed in August, about six months later, and exterior and interior finishing work is currently underway. The facility is scheduled for completion in the first half of next year, with full-scale commercial production set to begin in 2027.

This facility is dedicated exclusively to DP production. Once completed, it is expected to double the annual maximum production capacity of the existing Plant 2 DP production line, increasing from approximately 4 million vials to about 8 million vials. With this expansion, Celltrion will have a total drug substance (DS) manufacturing capacity of 250,000 liters in Songdo, and DP manufacturing capacity will reach 12 million vials annually-three times the current level.

In addition, Celltrion plans to add a new DS plant in Songdo, as well as build new DP plants in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province, and new pre-filled syringe (PFS) production facilities in Ochang, North Chungcheong Province. Through these initiatives, along with the acquisition of U.S. manufacturing facilities, the company aims to balance domestic and overseas investments and contribute to balanced regional development by expanding domestic investment.

The acquisition of Eli Lilly's biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Branchburg, New Jersey, is expected to be finalized within this year. Upon completion, Celltrion will immediately pursue capacity expansion to establish a global production hub. According to the agreement between the two companies, Celltrion will supply DS produced at the facility to Eli Lilly immediately upon acquisition, enabling immediate revenue generation, strengthening the local supply chain, and reducing logistics costs.

Celltrion's comprehensive efforts to enhance production capacity both domestically and internationally are being implemented to proactively respond to the rapidly growing global market share of its products, the expansion of approved and manufactured items, and increasing demand. The company plans to significantly increase investment in production facilities and enhance its manufacturing competitiveness to ensure global supply stability, while also reducing time and logistics costs by securing strategic production bases. In particular, in-house production is expected to lower manufacturing costs compared to contract manufacturing (CMO) and enable more flexible and rapid product shipments through integrated operation with existing production lines.

A Celltrion representative stated, "As demand continues to grow steadily due to the stable growth of existing products, successful market entry of new products, and expansion of our pipeline, the expansion of new plants and the acquisition of overseas production bases are progressing smoothly. We will significantly strengthen our production capacity to ensure the stable supply of high-quality biopharmaceuticals worldwide and accelerate our growth into a leading global pharmaceutical company."

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