Next Month, October 8-11 in San Francisco
The Largest Industry Event Gathering Global Big Players
Samsung Biologics and Celltrion Present on the 'Main Track'
Lotba, SK Biopharm, Yuhan, Kakao Health Also to Present
The 'JP Morgan Healthcare Conference (JPMHC),' regarded as the world's largest healthcare industry investment event, is just one month away. As a global investment hub where major deals are made, various domestic companies are expected to visit the venue this year as well to seek new growth engines.
The 42nd JPMHC, held from January 8 to 11 next year (local time) in San Francisco, California, USA, is the largest event in the industry, gathering about 14,000 global healthcare companies and investors. Since major global companies directly reveal their blueprints, it serves as a touchstone for observing industry trends and is regarded as a venue where major technology deals are finalized or announced.
According to the industry on the 15th, six domestic companies?Samsung Biologics, Celltrion, Lotte Biologics, SK Biopharm, Yuhan Corporation, and Kakao Healthcare?are known to meet investors directly through presentations by CEOs and others at next year’s event. The number of domestic presenting companies, which had maintained around six since reaching seven in 2020, dropped to three this year due to the organizer reducing the number of presenters after switching back to in-person events following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the number of presenting companies has increased significantly again.
At the 41st JP Morgan Healthcare Conference held last January, John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, is delivering a main track presentation. [Photo by Samsung Biologics]
Samsung Biologics and Celltrion have been assigned to the main track, considered the most crucial. This is the highest-profile presentation allocated to big players, held in the largest space at the venue?the Grand Ballroom of the Westin St. Francis Hotel.
Samsung Biologics will present on the main track for the eighth consecutive year since 2017. It is known that JP Morgan arranges presentations in order of importance, and while Samsung Biologics’ main track presentation has traditionally been on the third day of the event, next year it has been moved up to the second day for the first time. Scheduled as the 16th presentation, it will follow Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca (AZ). CEO John Rim is expected to announce this year’s key achievements and next year’s business directions regarding production capacity, portfolio, and global bases. More concrete plans are anticipated concerning the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) production facility construction, which is targeted to begin production next year.
There is also a company returning to JPMHC after four years. Celltrion, which is completing the merger of Celltrion and Celltrion Healthcare within this year and preparing to launch the 'Integrated Celltrion' next year. Celltrion first appeared on the main track in 2019 but did not attend JPMHC for three years after 2020. At the 2020 presentation, Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jung-jin, who emphasized his retirement plans and declared it his 'last presentation,' has since returned as chairman to serve as a savior, and he will personally attend the event to reveal the blueprint after the merger.
At the Asia-Pacific & Latin America (APAC&LatAm) session, Lotte Biologics, SK Biopharm, Yuhan Corporation, and Kakao Healthcare will meet investors. Lotte Biologics, participating for the second consecutive year, will disclose detailed plans related to the bio plant scheduled to begin construction in Songdo next year, and is expected to continue efforts to secure clients for the expanded facilities, including the ADC equipment at the Syracuse plant in the U.S., which is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of next year.
SK Biopharm, expecting to return to profitability in the fourth quarter of this year, will have CEO Lee Dong-hoon emphasize growth potential through 'Cenobamate,' which has recently seen rapid sales growth, and is expected to reveal additional growth drivers such as various pipelines. Yuhan Corporation is expected to actively promote 'Reclaza,' which is stepping up as a global blockbuster by recently releasing results from the global clinical trial 'MARIPOSA.' Key R&D executives, including R&D President Kim Yeol-hong and Vice President and Head of Central Research Institute Oh Se-woong, are scheduled to visit San Francisco. Kakao Healthcare plans to introduce services such as the diabetes solution 'PASTA,' scheduled for release in February next year, led by CEO Hwang Hee.
In addition, domestic pharmaceutical and bio companies attending the conference will hold individual partnering meetings with big pharma companies or participate in related side events. The Korea Bio Association will co-host the 'Global IR@JPM' event as a side event with global law firm Sidley Austin and others. It will provide opportunities for corporate presentations to five domestic bio companies seeking overseas expansion and five overseas bio companies exploring opportunities for entry and investment in Korea.
However, there are also forecasts that next year’s JPMHC will be held on a somewhat smaller scale compared to previous years due to the global biotech investment downturn. An industry insider said, "I understand that JP Morgan has reduced the number of officially invited companies to about two-thirds of the usual level," adding, "In the past, many companies came to the venue seeking opportunities even without official invitations, but venture capitalists (VCs) are reportedly reluctant to participate, so many companies are still considering whether to attend."
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