Samsung Biologics Marks 14th Anniversary, Grows into World's Largest CDMO

Securing a Total Production Capacity of 784,000 Liters

A Samsung Biologics employee is inspecting a bioreactor at Plant 4. Photo by Samsung Biologics

Samsung Biologics, which has established itself as the world's largest contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) in the biopharmaceutical industry, celebrates its 14th anniversary on April 21.

This year, Samsung Biologics plans to accelerate its three-pronged expansion strategy focused on production capacity, portfolio, and global presence, continuing its growth as a top-tier global biopharmaceutical company.

Samsung Biologics was founded on April 21, 2011, in Songdo, Incheon. The company was launched as part of Samsung Group's initiative to pursue biotechnology as one of its five next-generation growth businesses. Although it entered the global biopharmaceutical CDMO market as a latecomer, Samsung Biologics quickly rose to industry leadership by rapidly securing production capacity and demonstrating strong competitiveness in quality. The number of employees, which was just over 110 at the time of its establishment, has now grown to approximately 5,000.

Currently, Samsung Biologics boasts a total production capacity of 784,000 liters, ranking first globally. Since its founding, the company has obtained over 350 manufacturing approvals from global regulatory agencies, and its inspection pass rate remains among the highest in the industry.

Thanks to its overwhelming production capacity and exceptional quality competitiveness, Samsung Biologics has earned strong trust from global pharmaceutical companies. From its founding through the end of last year, the company secured a total of 99 contract manufacturing (CMO) projects and 133 contract development (CDO) projects, with cumulative contract value reaching $16.3 billion (approximately KRW 23.2112 trillion).

Notably, last year Samsung Biologics signed three large-scale contracts worth about KRW 1 trillion each, achieving an annual order intake of KRW 5 trillion for the first time in its history. In January of this year, the company secured its largest-ever contract, valued at KRW 2.0747 trillion. Currently, 17 out of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies are clients of Samsung Biologics.

Driven by these contract achievements, the company's sales have also experienced rapid growth. In 2020, nine years after its founding, annual sales surpassed KRW 1 trillion. In 2022, it became the first company in Korea's bio and pharmaceutical industry to exceed KRW 3 trillion in annual sales, and in 2024, it surpassed KRW 4 trillion. This year, sales are expected to grow by 20 to 25 percent year-on-year, surpassing KRW 5 trillion.

Samsung Biologics plans to continue its growth by focusing on expanding its three core pillars: production capacity, portfolio, and global presence.

Samsung Biologics Plant 4 exterior. Photo by Samsung Biologics

With the launch of Plant 5, Samsung Biologics has ushered in the era of its Second Bio Campus and plans to build three additional plants of the same scale as Plant 5 by 2032. Upon completion of Plant 8, Samsung Biologics' total production capacity is expected to reach 1,324,000 liters, maintaining its overwhelming competitive edge.

The company is also actively diversifying its portfolio to secure new growth engines. Last month, Samsung Biologics began operating a dedicated facility for the production of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which are emerging as next-generation cancer therapies. The company also plans to continue investing in new modalities such as cell and gene therapies (CGT).

Samsung Biologics is also actively expanding its overseas presence. The company operates sales offices in locations such as New Jersey, USA, and Tokyo, Japan, strengthening its connections with major clients worldwide.

Samsung Biologics is leading the way in sustainable management in the global biopharmaceutical industry, receiving high marks from ESG rating agencies both in Korea and abroad.

In February, the company received a 'Leadership' rating, one of the highest grades in the water security category, from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a global sustainability evaluation organization. It has also been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for four consecutive years. In the Sustainable Markets Initiative, led by the British royal family to address climate change, CEO John Rim serves as chair of the supply chain sector of the Health Systems Task Force.

John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, stated, "Over the past 14 years, Samsung Biologics has led the CDMO market by providing the highest quality and service to global clients. We will continue to make proactive investments to further enhance our competitiveness, and all employees will do their utmost to realize the company's vision of contributing to a better life for humanity."