[Bio Japan] Samsung Biologics CEO John Lim: "Secured Orders from Over Four of Japan's Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies"

At the Press Conference Held in Yokohama on October 8

"Japan is a strategic market following the United States and Europe. We will increase collaboration with top-tier Japanese pharmaceutical companies."

John Lim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, held a press conference at the site of "Bio Japan 2025," Asia's largest pharmaceutical and bio exhibition, in Yokohama, Japan, on the 8th. He stated, "Bio Japan is an extremely important venue for our company."

John Lim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, is speaking at a press conference for Bio Japan 2025, Asia's largest pharmaceutical and bio exhibition, held on the 8th in Yokohama, Japan. Samsung Biologics

Earlier this year, Samsung Biologics established an office in Tokyo and began full-scale local business operations. Lim explained that "it takes time to build trust with Japanese clients" and added, "They are particularly sensitive to quality and equivalence, so we are strengthening consistent face-to-face and technical communication." When asked about the current state of business in Japan, he declined to disclose specific client names, citing client confidentiality obligations. However, he noted, "The number of pharmaceutical companies within the top ten in Japan that we are either working with or in discussions with has expanded to around four or five," and added, "We are developing our order strategy by considering not only the number of contracts but also the market share of our clients' products as an important criterion."

Regarding the tariff issue, which has emerged as a major global policy variable, Lim highlighted the ongoing uncertainty. He said, "There is still uncertainty, with speculation ranging from a 100% tariff to possible exemptions or a 15% rate," and added, "Since there are cases where exceptions are made for specific clients, no one can say for sure."

Samsung Biologics has been considering measures to respond to 'onshoring' policies, such as building or acquiring new plants in the United States, for several years. However, the cost barrier for manufacturing in the United States remains high. A Samsung Biologics representative explained, "Building a plant in the United States is at least 70% more expensive than in Songdo."

Lim stated, "We will establish operational standards that can replicate identical processes and quality at any production site, thereby increasing the speed of technology transfer and the likelihood of regulatory approval." The company is also adjusting its order strategy to reflect the tariff landscape, operating a "dual approach" by market and client. In the case of Japan, given its physical proximity and sensitivity to regulations and quality, the company is taking a long-term approach focused on building trust.

In terms of operational standardization, Samsung Biologics introduced "ExellenS™" as the new branding for its CMO services at Bio Japan. Lim emphasized, "By implementing equivalent design, processes, and systems across all plants, we will enhance the speed of technology transfer and the likelihood of approval, and improve quality, cost, and speed simultaneously through digital transformation and the manufacturing execution system (MES). The key is to reproduce identical results at any site."

Regarding ADCs, which are gaining attention as a new modality, Lim said, "The ADC market is experiencing rapid annual growth of 30-40%. Starting this year, we are fully operating our ADC line, and we aim to establish an end-to-end system by early 2027 to strengthen our competitiveness." On the competitive landscape, Lim noted, "There are already leaders in the ADC field, but our company will compete by leveraging speed, equivalence, and our end-to-end system."