Celltrion Begins Commercial Production at Third Plant

· Celltrion has expanded its biopharmaceutical production capacity with the launch of its third plant in Songdo, Incheon.

Celltrion Begins Commercial Production at Third Plant (Credit: Celltrion)

Celltrion announced on December 5 that its third plant in Songdo, Incheon, has completed the performance qualification (PQ) of key equipment and commenced commercial production of drug substances (DS).

The third plant was completed following a 27-month construction period from September 2021 to November 2023, with a total investment of 270 billion KRW. The facility spans 22,300 square meters across five floors and has a production capacity of 60,000 liters. Combined with Celltrion’s first and second plants, which have capacities of 100,000 liters and 90,000 liters respectively, the company now boasts a total biopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity of 250,000 liters.

Designed to adapt to shifting market demands, the third plant focuses on small-batch, multi-product production. It integrates high-titer technology to maximize output efficiency, enabling greater biopharmaceutical production from the same amount of culture medium. The facility features eight 7,500-liter bioreactors and cutting-edge technologies such as shortened cell culture processes, cleanroom design for contamination control, and high-concentration dilution in purification stages. The optimization of equipment such as pipes and tanks and the localization of certain components also enhance maintainability and contribute to domestic manufacturing capabilities.

The third plant's operational launch is expected to accelerate the production of Celltrion’s approved biosimilar products and its pipeline of new drugs. The company plans to maintain production of existing products at its first and second plants while leveraging the third plant for both new and existing product lines, maximizing synergies and utilization rates.

In addition, Celltrion is constructing a new drug product (DP) plant at its Songdo campus, set to be completed by 2026. The DP plant will enter commercial production in 2027, enhancing the company’s ability to meet increasing demand and reduce production costs through in-house manufacturing capabilities.

A Celltrion spokesperson stated, "With the third plant now fully operational, Celltrion has entered an era of 250,000 liters in biopharmaceutical production capacity. We are committed to maximizing production flexibility and efficiency through small-batch, multi-product manufacturing and delivering high-quality biopharmaceuticals to global markets."

The company aims to secure approvals for 11 products by the end of next year and expand its portfolio to 22 products by 2030, further strengthening its position in the global biopharmaceutical market.

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Celltrion Begins Commercial Production at Third Plant, Boosting Biopharmaceutical Capacity to 250,000 Liters - IT타임스