PharmaResearch Annual Sales Top 500 Billion Won for First Time PharmaResearch said its annual sales topped 500 billion won for the first time in 2025, driven by growth in its medical device and cosmetics businesses. In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, the company said 2025 revenue rose 53% from a year earlier to 535.7 billion won on a consolidated basis. Operating profit increased 70% to 214.2 billion won. The company said it posted broad-based growth across all business segments, with medical devices and cosmetics leading results. “An increase in domestic demand tied to an inflow of foreign tourists and rising exports centered on medical devices and cosmetics worked together,” the company said. Medical device sales grew 62% from a year earlier, and cosmetics sales surged 69%, led by major overseas markets including the United States and Japan, the company said. PharmaResearch said it plans to accelerate its mid- to long-term global expansion. It will begin European sales of “Rejuran,” which drew attention at the world’s largest aesthetic plastic surgery conference, IMCAS, held last month in Paris. The company also plans to enter the Middle East and South America to diversify markets. It said it will start with Chile, Peru, Argentina and Mexico, and will seek approval in Brazil, the region’s largest market, to expand further in Latin America. The company said it will continue investing in research and development to diversify its portfolio, including expanding its product lineup to cancer treatments and beginning clinical trials aimed at securing approval in Japan, in addition to its pharmaceuticals, medical devices, cosmetics and health functional foods. A PharmaResearch official said 2025 was “a year in which we laid the foundation for a global leap through meaningful growth,” adding that the company maintained steady growth even before results from Europe were fully reflected in earnings. The official said the company plans to invest in facilities to stabilize its global supply chain and strengthen R&D to speed entry into countries where it has not yet received approvals, while reinforcing leadership in the skin booster market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-04 18:09:00

SK Bioscience Sales Jump 143% on Strong Results From German Unit IDT SK Bioscience said strong results from its German subsidiary, acquired two years ago, helped more than double its annual revenue last year. In a regulatory filing on Monday, the company said 2025 revenue on a consolidated basis rose 143.5% from a year earlier to 651.4 billion won. Its operating loss narrowed to 123.5 billion won from 138.4 billion won in 2024. The improvement was driven largely by IDT, a Germany-based contract development and manufacturing organization acquired in 2024. IDT posted 465.7 billion won in 2025 revenue, up about 17% year over year, and recorded an operating profit of 9.9 billion won, marking a turnaround. The company attributed the gains to stronger partnerships with existing customers and higher productivity from process-efficiency efforts. SK Bioscience said growth in its core vaccine lineup also supported results. Influenza vaccine SkyCellflu maintained steady growth as export volumes to Central and South America and Southeast Asia increased, despite a price decline tied to a switch to a trivalent formulation. Chickenpox vaccine SkyVaricella increased its share of global exports on the back of stable supply through the Pan American Health Organization. Shingles vaccine SkyZoster raised its market share as more South Korean local governments expanded vaccination programs. Sales of Sanofi products distributed in South Korea also more than tripled from a year earlier, the company said. Beyfortus, an RSV preventive antibody injection launched last year, posted near sellout-level performance during the fall and winter RSV season. Hexaxim, the country’s first six-in-one vaccine covering diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and hepatitis B, and Tdap vaccine Adacel also supported higher sales on steady demand. SK Bioscience said it plans to sustain growth centered on its subsidiaries and its Songdo R&PD center. The company completed the relocation of its headquarters and research institute to Songdo, Incheon, last month and said it is accelerating efforts to secure key pipelines under an integrated system spanning R&D through commercialization preparation. A 21-valent pneumococcal protein conjugate vaccine being co-developed with Sanofi is in global Phase 3 trials in the United States, Europe and South Korea, the company said. Its L House production facility in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, is being expanded while it pursues global approvals and prepares for commercial production. The company also highlighted RSM01, an RSV monoclonal antibody brought in from Gates MRI under the Gates Foundation, and an Ebola vaccine being developed with MSD. It said RSM01, backed by exclusive global supply rights, is expected to be a new growth driver targeting a related market valued at 6 trillion won. The Ebola vaccine is expected to move faster with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. The company said it also expects clinical trials this year for a universal COVID-19 vaccine, a next-generation pneumococcal vaccine and an avian influenza vaccine. A company official said, “This year, we will further advance global CDMO growth centered on IDT, while accelerating development of core pipelines with the Songdo R&PD center as a hub to secure mid- to long-term growth engines.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-03 17:51:00

Turkey picks SK Plasma as partner in drive for domestic plasma-derived medicines SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Korea's SK Plasma has been selected as the technology export partner for Turkey’s national initiative to localize production of plasma-derived medicines, with the firm set to build a plasma fractionation facility through a new joint venture. The company said Tuesday it signed a shareholder agreement in Ankara with the Turkish Red Crescent to establish a joint venture, Proturk, and construct a plasma fractionation plant — its second overseas export of such facilities following a project in Indonesia. SK Plasma was chosen last year over several multinational pharmaceutical firms in Turkey’s competitive tender for the localization project. Since then, the company has signed an MOU with the Turkish Red Crescent and finalized investment structures and commercial terms. The initiative is being highlighted as a major government-industry collaboration, with South Korean Ambassador to Turkey Jeong Yeon-doo involved in coordinating the project. The signing ceremony was attended by SK Plasma CEO Kim Seung-joo and Turkish Red Crescent President Fatma Meric Yilmaz. Visiting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung welcomed the agreement, noting SK Plasma’s role in Turkey’s localization strategy. Under the deal, SK Plasma will receive technology transfer fees and hold a 15 percent stake in Proturk. The remaining 85 percent will be owned by the Turkish Red Crescent’s investment arm and affiliated government agencies. Proturk plans to build the facility in Cubuk, Ankara, with an annual processing capacity of 600,000 liters of plasma. The plant will produce key plasma-derived products, including albumin, immunoglobulin for immune deficiency treatment, and factor VIII for hemophilia A. Until the plant begins operations, SK Plasma will manufacture albumin and immunoglobulin at its Andong facility using plasma supplied from Turkey. The company will also train Turkish technical personnel as part of the technology transfer. Turkish Red Crescent President Yilmaz said the partnership with SK Plasma is “vital to securing sovereignty in essential medical products,” while CEO Kim Seung-joo emphasized the importance of building production infrastructure quickly and expanding opportunities in countries seeking independence in critical healthcare supplies. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-25 13:49:56

Celltrion completes regulatory approvals for acquisition of Eli Lilly plant in US SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - South Korean biopharmaceutical company Celltrion said on Tuesday that it had finalized the acquisition of Eli Lilly’s production facility in Branchburg, New Jersey. The deal, which recently cleared all regulatory hurdles in the United States and Ireland, positions Celltrion to expand its presence in the world’s largest pharmaceutical market. The company said it expects to close the transaction by the end of the year. Regulatory approval in the United States came through the Federal Trade Commission’s pre-merger notification process under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, which assesses potential impacts on competition. Ireland’s approval was granted on Oct. 31, given the company’s significant business operations there. The Branchburg plant — covering about 148,800 square meters — will become Celltrion’s first major manufacturing site in the United States. The company plans to invest more than 700 billion won, or roughly $520 million, to expand the facility by an additional 36,400 square meters, ultimately bringing its capacity to about one and a half times that of Celltrion’s second plant in Songdo, South Korea. “The completion of all merger reviews for the U.S. facility acquisition lays the groundwork for accelerating our global market expansion,” Celltrion said in a statement. “We aim to strengthen our production and supply competitiveness while creating value for shareholders.” The company intends to use the Branchburg site as both a production hub and a platform for contract manufacturing. Celltrion expects the facility to generate revenue immediately after the deal closes, thanks to an existing supply agreement with Lilly. It also plans to pursue new manufacturing contracts, anticipating steady growth in demand for biologics and biosimilars. The move could help Celltrion mitigate tariff risks, diversify its production bases and reduce its reliance on facilities in South Korea, where most of its biologic manufacturing is currently concentrated. Founded in 2002, Celltrion has grown rapidly on the strength of its biosimilar portfolio — lower-cost versions of biologic drugs — and has sought to expand its presence in the U.S. and Europe. The acquisition of the Branchburg plant gives the company a stronger foothold in a market increasingly focused on securing local supply chains for critical pharmaceuticals, Celltrion officials said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-11 10:12:48

South Korea's Samsung Biologics hits record $4 billion in annual orders SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - Samsung Biologics said on Tuesday that it has surpassed last year’s total orders, securing 5.5 trillion won (about $4 billion) in contracts so far this year — the highest annual performance since the company was founded. The announcement came as the South Korean biopharmaceutical manufacturer disclosed a new 275.9 billion won deal with a European drugmaker, adding to a string of large contracts signed in 2024. The company has completed eight new or expanded agreements this year, including a record 2 trillion won contract in January and another worth 1.8 trillion won with a U.S. pharmaceutical company in September. Samsung Biologics said its cumulative order volume now exceeds $20 billion (28.7 trillion won), underscoring its growing role as one of the world’s leading contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs). The company counts 17 of the world’s 20 largest pharmaceutical firms among its clients. To meet surging global demand for biopharmaceutical production, Samsung Biologics has continued to expand its manufacturing capacity. The company’s fifth plant, which began operations in April, has increased total capacity to 784,000 liters — the largest single-site production capability in the world. The company also cited a 99 percent batch success rate and 394 regulatory manufacturing approvals from agencies including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, and Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency as of October. “This achievement is a result of customer trust and our focus on quality-driven management, achieved through close collaboration with our global partners,” said John Rim, the company’s chief executive, in a statement. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-04 14:00:08

Celltrion wins Irish approval for purchase of Eli Lilly plant in New Jersey SEOUL, November 03 (AJP) - South Korean biopharmaceutical company Celltrion said Monday that it has received approval from the Irish government for its planned acquisition of Eli Lilly’s manufacturing facility in the United States, leaving only U.S. regulatory clearance before the deal can close. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission of Ireland granted final approval for the purchase on Oct. 31, according to Celltrion. The deal requires the review under Irish competition law because it involves an Eli Lilly subsidiary that generates revenue in Ireland. Celltrion’s U.S. subsidiary is now seeking to acquire the New Jersey-based plant from Eli Lilly for about $330 million. Celltrion said the approval was granted swiftly thanks to what it called “effective communication and the anticipated benefits of the acquisition.” With U.S. approval now the final step, the company said it has encountered no significant issues in the acquisition process so far. "We will diligently prepare for the remaining steps to secure approval promptly," the company said in a press release. Celltrion aims to complete the deal by the end of the year, positioning the acquisition as part of its strategy to reduce tariff risks and strengthen global supply chain resilience amid geopolitical uncertainty. The company said it plans to integrate local production, packaging, logistics and sales to enhance operational efficiency. The company described the purchase as a “key driver” for expanding its global production capacity and boosting shareholder value. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-03 14:11:13

SK Bioscience hosts Hilleman Institute board in Korea to deepen vaccine collaboration SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - The board of the Hilleman Institute, a leading global vaccine research organization, visited SK Bioscience’s headquarters on Tuesday to explore deeper cooperation in vaccine development and manufacturing, the company said Wednesday. The visit marked a significant step in strengthening strategic ties between the two organizations. It was the first time the Hilleman Institute’s board — established by pharmaceutical giant MSD and the U.K.-based nonprofit Wellcome Trust — held a meeting in South Korea. The institute, based in Singapore, focuses on improving vaccine access and public health in low- and middle-income countries. During the visit, board members toured SK Bioscience’s research and production facilities, evaluating the company’s R&D infrastructure, manufacturing systems, and global commercialization capabilities. According to SK Bioscience, the delegation recognized the company’s potential as a collaborative hub for global vaccine research and production. Executives from both sides also held in-depth discussions on expanding joint research and technology exchange, building on their existing partnership. SK Bioscience and the Hilleman Institute signed a strategic collaboration agreement in 2023 to jointly develop a next-generation Zaire Ebola vaccine. Since then, the partnership has expanded to include process development, technology transfer, and vaccine candidate commercialization. “Hosting the Hilleman Institute’s board in Korea underscores the depth of our partnership,” said Ahn Jae-yong, president of SK Bioscience. “We look forward to expanding collaboration to strengthen the global vaccine supply chain and improve preparedness for infectious disease threats.” SK Bioscience aims to position itself as a central player in global vaccine research, leveraging partnerships with international health institutions to broaden access to next-generation immunization technologies. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-29 15:35:27