GC Subsidiary Maid Scientific Opens U.S. Cell Therapy Manufacturing Hub

Expansion of U.S. Manufacturing Capabilities with $12 Million Investment
Maid Scientific Opens New Princeton Headquarters and GMP Facility
Aims to Lead Cell Therapy Market with Advanced Technology and Full-Cycle Production

Maid Scientific, the U.S. subsidiary of GC (GC Holdings), announced on August 20 that it held an opening ceremony for its new U.S. headquarters and a new GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) manufacturing facility with a total floor area of approximately 5,570 square meters in Princeton, New Jersey, on August 13 (local time).

The event was attended by Robert Asaro-Angelo, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor, Tennille McCoy, State Assemblywoman, Edmund Yates, Mayor of Plainsboro, Ronald Rios, Chair of the Middlesex County Board of Commissioners, Teik Lim, President of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as well as GC executives including Chairman Huh Ilseop, CEO Huh Yongjun, and CFO Huh Jinseong.

CEO Huh Yongjun of GC (first from the left), Chairman Huh Ilseop of GC (second from the left), CEO Syed T. Hussein of Maid Scientific (fifth from the left), along with executives and state government officials, are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by GC Nokshipja

In addition, delegations from the offices of U.S. Senator Andy Kim and U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman attended and delivered commemorative proclamations. Federal, state, and local government officials also participated to celebrate the opening of the facility.

This facility opening marks the first phase of investment totaling $12 million (approximately KRW 16.7 billion), which includes facility upgrades, advanced equipment, and the digitalization of work systems. Through this, Maid Scientific has secured full-cycle manufacturing capabilities from clinical development to commercialization in the rapidly growing cell therapy market. The company also announced a second-phase expansion plan at the event, which will involve hiring more than 100 additional professionals and increasing annual production capacity by up to 2,000 batches.

The Princeton facility is equipped with five ISO 7 (Grade B) clean rooms, an in-house quality control (QC) laboratory, and process and analytical development functions. Furthermore, advanced digital management systems such as Oracle NetSuite (ERP), Veeva Systems (QMS), Autolomous AutoloMATE (MES), and LabVantage (LIMS) have been implemented to enable real-time integrated management of the entire process from product development to manufacturing and quality control.

At the event, plans for an additional GMP clean room expansion (approximately 1,200 square meters) meeting U.S. FDA and European Union (Annex 1) standards were also announced. The expanded facility will incorporate high-speed, automated production technologies, and upon completion, the Princeton headquarters will be positioned as a Center of Excellence for clinical and commercial supply of cell therapies.

Phil Murphy, Governor of New Jersey, stated, "Maid Scientific's investment in Plainsboro is a prime example of how New Jersey is leading the nation in life sciences and advanced biomanufacturing. This new facility will provide high-quality jobs for New Jersey residents, supply next-generation cell therapies to patients worldwide, and further accelerate the growth of New Jersey's innovation economy." He added, "The state government will actively support companies like Maid Scientific that drive innovation, economic growth, and the development of life-saving therapies."

Mayor Edmund Yates commented, "Maid Scientific, a world-leading CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) for cell therapies, choosing to locate its headquarters and GMP manufacturing facility in Plainsboro is a testament to the competitiveness of our region and workforce. The company will drive groundbreaking changes in the development and production of innovative therapies for patients worldwide, and the decision by companies like Maid Scientific to choose Plainsboro sends a positive signal to other pharmaceutical and biotech firms." He added, "We look forward to welcoming more innovative companies to our region in the future."

Syed T. Hussein, CEO of Maid Scientific, stated, "Today is not just an opening ceremony; it is a demonstration of our firm commitment to this industry and this region. This facility, with its infrastructure supporting everything from clinical development to commercialization in one location, high-speed GMP production capabilities, and a world-class team with precision and speed, will enable our partners to confidently bring innovative therapies to market."

Maid Scientific is a U.S.-based cell therapy CDMO that was acquired in May 2022 through a joint investment by GC and GC Cell. Under the mission 'Defy limits, deliver results,' the company continues to strengthen its global cell therapy commercialization support capabilities through ongoing investment in infrastructure, talent, processes, and systems.