Celltrion announced on the 9th that the construction progress of its new Drug Product (DP) production facility in Songdo, Incheon, has surpassed 55%. The company is accelerating its efforts to enhance production capacity, including the acquisition of a production facility in the United States.

The new DP facility, which is being expanded on the site adjacent to the existing Plant 1, completed its foundational construction in August this year, approximately six months after receiving construction approval in February. Currently, exterior and interior finishing works are underway. The facility is scheduled for completion in the first half of next year, with plans to commence full-scale commercial production in 2027.

Once completed, this facility, dedicated solely to DP production, is expected to have a production capacity of approximately 8 million vials annually, double the maximum annual production capacity (about 4 million vials) of the existing Plant 2 DP production line. In addition to the total 250,000-liter Drug Substance (DS) manufacturing capacity in Songdo, the company will have a DP manufacturing capacity of 12 million vials annually, three times the current level.

Additionally, Celltrion plans to add a new DS plant in Songdo and construct new DP and Pre-Filled Syringes (PFS) production facilities in Yesan, Chungnam, and Ochang, Chungbuk, respectively. The company aims to contribute to regional balanced development by maintaining a balance between overseas and domestic investments while expanding domestic investments.

The acquisition of Eli Lilly's biopharmaceutical production facility in Branchburg, New Jersey, is expected to be finalized within the year, with plans to expand maximum production capacity immediately upon completion and operate it as a global production base. According to the agreement between the two companies, the DS produced at the facility will be supplied to Eli Lilly upon acquisition, enabling immediate revenue generation. By strengthening the local supply chain, Celltrion expects to maximize local market advantages and achieve cost savings in logistics.

Celltrion's comprehensive efforts to enhance production capacity both domestically and internationally are being undertaken to proactively respond to the rapidly increasing global market share of its products, as well as the expanding demand for approvals and production items. The company plans to significantly increase investment in production facilities, enhance production competitiveness to secure global supply stability, and reduce time and logistics costs by securing strategic bases. Particularly, in-house production is expected to reduce production costs compared to contract manufacturing (CMO) with other companies, allowing for more flexible and rapid product delivery through the flexible operation linked with existing production lines.

A Celltrion representative stated, “As demand continues to grow steadily with the stable growth of existing products, market establishment of new products, and expansion of new pipelines, the expansion of facilities and securing of overseas bases are progressing smoothly,” adding, “We will significantly enhance production capacity to smoothly supply high-quality biopharmaceuticals worldwide and accelerate our leap into a global big pharma.”

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