[BioUSA] K-Bio Gathered in the US... Revealing the Secrets to Global Expansion Success

K-bio companies that started domestically but have secured independent positions in the global industry with their unique strengths gathered in one place.

James Choi, Vice President of Sales Support at Samsung Biologics, is giving a lecture at the Korea Biotech Partnership held on the 5th (local time) in San Diego, USA.
[Photo by Lee Chunhee]

On the 5th (local time), during the 2024 BIO International Convention (BIO USA), the world's largest bio and pharmaceutical conference, the Korea Biotech Partnership (KBTP) was held as a side event, where leading domestic global bio companies such as Samsung Biologics, SK Biopharm, and Alteogen shared their global expansion cases and insights.

The first presenter, James Choi, Vice President of Sales at Samsung Biologics, spoke about the current status of Samsung Biologics, saying, "We have strengthened our position as a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) by carrying out various projects for more than 110 clients, including 16 of the global top 20 big pharma companies." He explained, "We currently have the 1st Bio Campus with a production capacity of 604,000 liters, and the 5th plant with a capacity of 180,000 liters is scheduled to be completed in April next year."

In addition to this production capacity, he also explained efforts for growth based on three pillars: portfolio and geographic bases. Vice President Choi said, "An independent antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) facility is expected to be ready by the end of this year," adding, "We are trying to expand our platform to bispecific antibodies, ADCs, and cell and gene therapies." He also added, "90% of our customers are in the U.S. and Europe," and "We want to have manufacturing facilities closer to our customers."

He particularly emphasized business growth through ESG (environmental, social, and governance) management. Vice President Choi stated, "We are doing our best to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050," and mentioned, "As a member of the Sustainable Market Initiative (SMI), we have been working with big pharma companies to promote a carbon-neutral environment." He also referred to investment cases through the Samsung Life Science Fund, saying, "We are nurturing emerging biotech companies and leading global collaboration and next-generation drug development." Finally, Vice President Choi said, "Korea aims to become the world's best bio manufacturing hub," and "Samsung Biologics will do its best to strengthen cooperation and partnerships both domestically and internationally."

Hwang Seon-gwan, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of SK Biopharm, is giving a lecture at the Korea Biotech Partnership held in San Diego, USA, on the 5th (local time).
[Photo by Lee Chun-hee]

Next, Hwang Seon-kwan, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of SK Biopharm, shared the company's growth story centered on Cenobamate (Xcopri), an epilepsy drug that is the first and only domestic company to independently develop and commercialize in the U.S. market, achieving everything from discovery to clinical trials, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, and direct sales in the U.S.

CTO Hwang said, "We will continuously strive to become a global big pharma by securing future technologies and pipelines looking 5 to 10 years ahead," sharing SK Biopharm's vision for sustainable growth beyond this achievement. SK Biopharm is attempting to secure platforms for next-generation modalities such as targeted protein degraders (TPD) and radiopharmaceutical therapies (RPT) as new growth engines. He acknowledged, "We recognize that we are a smaller company compared to multinational large pharmaceutical companies," but expressed his ambition, saying, "We are dedicated to turning challenges into opportunities."

Jeon Taeyeon, Vice President of Business Strategy at Alteogen, is giving a lecture at the Korea Biotech Partnership held in San Diego, USA, on the 5th (local time).
[Photo by Lee Chunhee]

The final presentation was by Jeon Tae-yeon, Vice President of Business Strategy at Alteogen, which recently gained attention for its subcutaneous injection formulation change platform. Reflecting this interest, Vice President Jeon began by saying, "Recently, Alteogen's stock price has reached an all-time high," and emphasized, "This was possible thanks to our employees and our partner MSD," stressing, "Partnerships are essential for the company's survival and the success of technology." He explained, "It is very difficult to find the right partner," but added, "MSD was able to become a good partner because they shared the same vision as Alteogen when signing the contract."

The event was jointly hosted by the Korea Bio Association, KOTRA, the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), the Korea Exchange, and Invest Seoul to support K-bio's global market entry. According to the organizers, the event generated tremendous enthusiasm, with about 800 pre-registered attendees. The venue was packed during the Korea Exchange's Korean Capital Market Conference held earlier, and during the networking party, countless people gathered to discuss various current issues, demonstrating the popularity of K-bio.