SK Pharmteco to expand production in South Korea

SK Pharmteco, a South Korean contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), announced a major expansion of its small molecule and peptide production capabilities, investing $260 million to build a new plant in Sejong, South Korea.

The new plant is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2026 and will be the company's fifth plant opened in South Korea. According to SK Pharmteco, the new plant covers an area of 135,800 square feet and has 8 production lines with an annual output of tens of metric tons. The investment also includes peptide R&D facilities, a CGMP kilogram laboratory, and a CGMP pilot plant for peptide manufacturing. SK Pharmteco said that with these resources, it can support early clinical and commercial production with great flexibility. SK Pharmteco plans to recruit more than 300 new employees at the Sejong plant.

Another part of the investment is to build the shell of the sixth manufacturing plant, which will enable rapid expansion of production capacity in the future.

"By investing in this new facility, we will increase our production capacity in Asia in line with our global expansion strategy, solidify our position as a trusted partner to companies developing breakthrough treatments, and demonstrate our adaptability and reliability in a rapidly changing industry," said Joerg Ahlgrimm, CEO of SK Pharmteco.

"Our new facility represents a significant investment in our future and our commitment to providing excellent value to our customers," said Yongwoo Park, President of Small Molecule Business Asia at SK Pharmteco. "By expanding our capacity and capabilities, we can offer faster turnaround times, greater flexibility, and higher quality levels."