SK Plasma will build a plasma fractionation facility in Türkiye capable of processing 600,000 liters of plasma per year.

SK Plasma announced on the 15th that it held a groundbreaking ceremony for a plasma fractionation plant in the Çubuk area of Ankara, Türkiye. The plant is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2028, with a target to begin commercial production in 2030.

This project has been pursued under a shareholders’ agreement signed in November last year between SK Plasma and the Turkish Red Crescent for the construction of a plasma fractionation plant and the establishment of a joint venture.

The joint venture Proturk, established by the two parties, will build a production facility with a total floor area of approximately 36,000 square meters in the Çubuk area of Ankara. The annual plasma processing capacity will be 600,000 liters.

The plant is scheduled to produce albumin, immunoglobulin, and factor VIII blood coagulation products, among others. At present, Türkiye depends heavily on imports for a substantial portion of these key plasma-derived therapies.

Plasma fractionation products are pharmaceuticals manufactured by extracting albumin, immunoglobulin, blood coagulation factors, and other components from plasma separated from human blood. They are used to treat severe diseases such as immune disorders and hemophilia, and have been designated as essential medicines by the World Health Organization.

Support from technology transfer to commercial production preparation

SK Plasma will participate in the project as a major shareholder and technology partner of Proturk. It plans to transfer core plasma fractionation technologies and support the construction of production facilities, quality control, training of local personnel, and preparations for commercial production.

SK Plasma will receive royalties as compensation for the technology transfer and, based on its 15% stake in Proturk, will also participate in the management of the joint venture.

Until the Turkish plant begins commercial production, SK Plasma plans to concurrently operate a contract manufacturing business in which plasma secured locally in Türkiye will be brought to SK Plasma’s Andong plant and processed into plasma fractionation products.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held in conjunction with an event at the Presidential Complex marking the 158th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Red Crescent. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye also attended the event via live broadcast.

President Erdoğan stated, “This plasma fractionation facility project, involving an investment of about EUR 500 million, is a project jointly promoted by Proturk, the Red Crescent, and the relevant ministries,” adding, “It will play an important role in strengthening Türkiye’s production base for essential medicines and reducing external dependence.”

SK Plasma to link production bases in Andong, Indonesia, and Türkiye

SK Plasma explained that it is promoting the Turkish project not as a simple finished product export business, but as a local self-sufficiency project that combines technology transfer, construction and operation support of production facilities, and equity participation.

It also plans to establish a so-called “federation” supply system that connects production bases in Andong, Korea, Indonesia, and Türkiye.

By linking the production bases in each country, the structure allows other bases to supplement volumes if production disruptions or surges in demand occur in a specific region. SK Plasma is also carrying out a project in Indonesia to transfer plasma fractionation technology and build local production facilities.

Kim Seung-joo, CEO of SK Plasma, said, “We will establish a stable supply system based on our production bases in Indonesia and Türkiye,” adding, “We will expand our business scope into the European and Middle Eastern markets.”

SK Plasma, a subsidiary of SK Discovery, is engaged in the essential medicines business, including plasma fractionation products and treatments for rare diseases.

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