[Featured Stock] Celltrion Pharm Chairman Seo Jung-jin "Merger Plan with Celltrion and Insulin Development"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] Celltrion, Celltrion Healthcare, and Celltrion Pharm are surging. Seo Jung-jin, Chairman of the Celltrion Group, stated on the 15th (local time) at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference held in San Francisco, USA, "If shareholders want, I will merge Celltrion, Celltrion Healthcare, and Celltrion Pharm as early as next year."

At 11:21 a.m. on the 16th, Celltrion Pharm was trading at 45,800 KRW, up 20.37% from the previous day.

Celltrion and Celltrion Healthcare are also expanding their gains.

Chairman Seo hinted at the possibility of merging the three group companies during the Q&A session following the corporate presentation at the main event, the Main Track Grand Ballroom, of the JP Morgan Conference that day.

Chairman Seo said, "Currently, Celltrion focuses on bio, Celltrion Healthcare on distribution, and Celltrion Pharm on chemically synthesized drugs, so their functions are all different. Around next year, we will ask shareholders whether to merge, and if shareholders want it, we will proceed."

When asked if profitability could be maintained after the merger, Chairman Seo replied, "We can maintain a profit margin of over 50%."

Additionally, he revealed the Celltrion Group's mid- to long-term vision until 2030. Celltrion plans to gradually advance its biosimilar, prime similar, new drug, and U-Healthcare businesses by 2030. Chairman Seo said, "We are on the verge of finalizing a business agreement with the Chengdu government in China to establish a production plant within China," adding, "We plan to announce the key details soon."

Chairman Seo also announced plans to develop insulin. Through technology acquisition and both independent and joint development methods, the group will enter the global diabetes market worth 40 billion USD (approximately 46.5 trillion KRW). He also presented a growth roadmap as a leading company in insulin biosimilars. Insulin production will take place in China.