Celltrion to Invest 2 Trillion Won...Lee Says "With Seo Jungjin, Chungcheong's Potential Is Limitless" (Comprehensive)

At the Chungcheong Region National Briefing,
Celltrion Pharm Announces Investment Plan
2 Trillion Won to Be Invested in Osong PFS Plant

The Celltrion Group will build a new pre-filled syringe (PFS) production facility in the Chungbuk region with an investment of 2 trillion won, in a proactive move to address the growing global demand.

On July 2, Yoo Youngho, CEO of Celltrion Pharm, announced this mid- to long-term investment strategy while attending the "Chungcheong Region Advanced Industry Development Vision National Briefing" held in Asan, Chungnam. Seo Jungjin, Chairman of Celltrion Group, was seated to the left of President Lee Jaemyung and observed the event.

Yonhap News Agency

According to the announcement released on the same day, the investment will be divided into two stages: the first stage will take place from 2028 to 2032, and the second stage will be pursued after 2032 depending on global demand. The total projected investment is 2 trillion won. PFS refers to pharmaceuticals that are filled in syringes in advance and supplied as such. Due to the highly sterile process required for PFS production lines, management has traditionally been challenging, and most of these pharmaceuticals were previously imported. However, Celltrion Pharm has introduced its own production facilities and currently supplies 20 million syringes of pharmaceuticals domestically and internationally.

CEO Yoo explained the background of the investment by saying, “Demand for PFS-type pharmaceuticals is rapidly increasing because they offer greater convenience and safety for patients. Even now, supply is insufficient compared to demand, and this gap is expected to widen further.”

He continued, “By adding 50 million syringes to the existing 20 million, we will secure a total production capacity of 70 million syringes. We expect to invest about 1 trillion won in the first stage, with design and construction starting in 2028 and full-scale factory operations slated to begin in 2032.” He also stated, “We plan to establish a one-stop production system covering all processes from formulation to filling, assembly, and packaging, as well as build our own materials production facilities.”

Yonhap News Agency

CEO Yoo emphasized that this investment in the Chungcheong region is “not merely an expansion of facilities, but a future investment aimed at growing alongside the region and enhancing the national bio-health industry’s competitiveness.” He added, “Internally, our goal is to efficiently share production infrastructure and skilled personnel, strengthen collaborative synergies with the Osong pharmaceutical·bio cluster and national institutions, and maximize logistics competitiveness by utilizing the regional transportation network.”

Celltrion Pharm is a comprehensive pharmaceutical company with competitiveness in the domestic pharmaceutical production and sales market as well as in the global contract manufacturing (CMO) business. It boasts PFS production capabilities and infrastructure that meet global GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards.

"Chungcheong, Igniting the 'Engine of Life'... Pushing for an AI-Based 'Bio Foundry'"

The government also presented plans to support the development of the Chungcheong region’s bio industry by leveraging large-scale investments. Kim Jeonggwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, identified bio as one of the four key engines of Chungcheong’s growth, dubbing it the “engine of life.” He stated, “Today, a total of 392 trillion won in investments are being set in motion across Chungcheong’s four engines, of which 2 trillion won will be allocated to the bio sector.” Minister Kim added, “We will enhance the global competitiveness of the bio industry through AI-based ‘bio foundry’ contract manufacturing.”

President Lee Jaemyung highlighted the role of entrepreneurs contributing to the development of local advanced industries, directly mentioning Chairman Seo. President Lee stated, “Thanks to entrepreneurs like Seo Jungjin, Chairman of Celltrion, who has tirelessly pioneered new paths in advanced industries, Chungcheong holds boundless growth potential. If companies’ strategic investment is combined with the strong commitment of both central and local governments, Chungcheong will stand tall as a global hub of innovation in the AI era.” Chairman Seo was born in Cheongju, Chungbuk.

This announcement represents a significant expansion in the scale and scope of the previously envisioned production facility plans. Celltrion had previously announced investments of 300 billion won for a new DP (Drug Product) plant on a 119,000 m² site in Yesan-gun, Chungnam, and 500 billion won for the Osong plant in Cheongju, Chungbuk, both to be completed by 2028. The initial plan was to combine the Yesan DP plant and the Ochang PFS expansion to internally produce 90% of global D products. However, with this new announcement, Celltrion will invest a massive 2 trillion won solely in the Ochang PFS production facility. Leveraging this expanded facility investment, the company aims to respond even more proactively to global biopharmaceutical demand and accelerate efforts to maximize manufacturing efficiency and reduce unit production costs.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the government announced the “Chungcheong Region Next-Generation Advanced Industry Development Strategy” and signed the “Chungcheong Region Next-Generation Advanced Industry Investment Agreement,” pledging investment implementation and support among companies, the central government, and local governments. The government will operate a BOOSTER program to support this investment. In addition, it will promote: ▲ large-scale R&D projects ▲ local tax incentives for companies and workers ▲ fostering hub national universities and convergence research institutes ▲ support for specialized complexes in national strategic industries and materials, parts, and equipment sectors. In the bio sector, public bio foundries and AI-integrated public contract manufacturing facilities will be established.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.