BRIEF—Samsung Biologics to invest over $1.5 billion in new facility

South Korean contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Samsung Biologics says it commence the construction of a fifth plant as part of its strategic expansion in response to increased market demand.

The company will invest over 1.9 trillion KR won (~$1.5 billion) in the new facility and break ground in the first half of this year with the aim to commence operations in 2025.

Located near its current Songdo site, Plant 5 will be the first facility of the company’s second Bio Campus, encompassing an area of 96,000m2 and holding a capacity of 180,000 liters.

Upon Plant 5’s full completion, Samsung Biologics will maintain its global biomanufacturing capacity leadership with a total of 784,000 liters.

The company’s existing Plants 1 through 3 are under near-full utilization and its Plant 4, which started partial operations in October last year, is expected to commence full operations by midyear.