According to local media reports, Celltrion announced that it would build the new facility in Wuhan, China, to produce both its own products and contract manufacturing organization (CMO) projects.
The ₩600bn ($520m) plant will have a capacity of 120,000L, significantly contributing to the company’s stated aim of expanding global production capacity to one million liters by 2030.
In a twist, the project to build the facility will also see Celltrion back out of its previously announced deal to create a joint venture with Nan Fung Group, stated Korea JoongAng Daily.
This would have seen the joint venture, to be known as Vcell Healthcare, hold the rights to three of Celltrion’s biosimilars, as well as having plans to create a ‘world-class biologics manufacturing facility’.
With the most recent announcement, the joint venture has been rendered unnecessary and, instead, Celltrion will establish a local subsidiary in the area, with its own sales network.
The newly-announced facility arrives days after Celltrion stated, at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, that it plans to launch one biosimilar product per year through to 2030.
The company pointed to the successful launch of its subcutaneous infliximab biosimilar, Remsima SC, as a positive sign within its portfolio, as well as Remsima developing a larger share in Europe than the originator product.
Looking to the future, Celltrion also stated that it plans to ‘reach beyond biosimilars’ to expand into drug development.
