Samsung Biologics has announced another significant manufacturing agreement, securing a $668m contract with a Europe-based pharmaceutical company.
This latest deal adds to a string of partnerships that the South Korean contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) has established in recent years. Samsung Biologics has now partnered with 17 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies, according to the company in the 20 November announcement.
Notable collaborations range from early agreements with Roche and Bristol Myers Squibb in 2013, to major pandemic-era deals, such as its May 2020 partnership with GSK. That year, Samsung signed a $231m contract to manufacture biological therapies, including the lupus drug Benlysta (belimumab). This was followed by a second agreement in 2022, valued at $296m.
Beyond collaborations with established pharma giants, Samsung Biologics has also supported smaller, development-stage companies. In 2023, the company entered a multi-year deal with European venture capital firm Kurma Partners, to assist its portfolio companies with chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC) development services.
Its most recent contracts include a July 2024 $1.05bn manufacturing partnership with an unnamed US-based pharmaceutical company set to run through 2030. This was followed by an October announcement of a $1.2bn agreement with an Asia-based drugmaker, extending through December 2037.
This new deal will see Samsung Biologics expand into antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) services. With a dedicated ADC facility expected to be operational by year’s end, the company plans to offer comprehensive process development and conjugation services.
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By GlobalData
The company’s capabilities extend beyond manufacturing. In 2012, Samsung Bioepis was established as a biosimilar medicine developer in partnership with Biogen. Samsung Biologics then acquired full ownership of the venture in 2022 for $2.3bn. In July 2024, Samsung Bioepis received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Epysqli (eculizumab-aagh), a biosimilar to AstraZeneca acquiree Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ Soliris (eculizumab).
Amid challenges faced by other CDMOs after the Covid-19 pandemic, Samsung Biologics has maintained strong growth. In the third quarter of 2024, its revenue increased 15% year-over-year to $857m (1.2tn Korean won), as per the company’s financials.
In the announcement accompanying the deal, Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim said: “As we further expand strategic collaboration with clients worldwide, we also make continued investments in our capabilities and manufacturing technologies. Our goal is to provide the highest-quality services at every stage and deepen our trusted partnerships.”
