Samsung Biologics Breaks 5 Trillion KRW in Annual Orders for the First Time

Samsung Biologics has surpassed 5 trillion KRW in annual cumulative orders for the first time since its establishment.

On the 20th, Samsung Biologics announced through two disclosures that it had signed contract manufacturing (CMO) agreements with a European pharmaceutical company totaling 930.4 billion KRW (approx. $668.39 million). The deals consist of two contracts worth 752.4 billion KRW and 178 billion KRW, respectively, which together account for approximately 30% of last year’s total order volume (3.5009 trillion KRW). The contracts run until December 31, 2031, and the names of the client and products remain undisclosed due to confidentiality agreements.

Starting with its first contract of the year in March, Samsung Biologics has signed a total of 11 contracts with global pharmaceutical companies in 2023, achieving cumulative orders of 5.3 trillion KRW within just 11 months—1.5 times the total order volume of last year. Notably, the company inked a 1.46 trillion KRW deal with a U.S. pharmaceutical company in July and a 1.7 trillion KRW contract with an Asian pharmaceutical company in October, securing a series of large-scale agreements.

Samsung Biologics now counts 17 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies as its clients. Leveraging its competitive edge in production capacity and quality, the company has accumulated orders worth 22.4 trillion KRW (approx. $16.1 billion) since its inception.

To address the growing demand for biopharmaceuticals, Samsung Biologics is expanding its production capacity. Plant 5, which integrates the best practices from Plants 1 to 4, is being constructed with a capacity of 180,000 liters and is scheduled to commence operations in April 2025. Upon completion, the company will boast a total production capacity of 784,000 liters.

In terms of quality, Samsung Biologics has demonstrated its competitive edge by achieving a 99% batch success rate, showcasing excellence in every aspect of pharmaceutical manufacturing and management. As of the end of October, the company has secured 339 manufacturing approvals from global regulatory agencies, including 38 from the U.S. FDA and 33 from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), within just 13 years since its establishment. The number of approvals continues to grow annually, in line with production capacity expansion and increased orders. The company also boasts one of the highest regulatory audit success rates in the industry.

Samsung Biologics has also been strengthening its business networking efforts. It has actively engaged in discussions for new orders by attending major bio-pharmaceutical conferences in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Key events include the BIO International Convention held in San Diego in June, CPHI Worldwide 2024 in Milan last month, and BioJapan 2024 in Yokohama. Additionally, the company has opened a sales office in Tokyo, Japan, to further enhance relationships with its clients.