Samsung Biologics is constantly trying to change how the world sees biopharmaceutical companies through its progress, expansion, and quality services.
While the rest of the world is slowly trying to recover from the effects of a global pandemic on the economy, Samsung Biologics is consistently sharing future plans through its business expansion initiatives..
What are the key features that make a biopharmaceutical company stand out?
- A commitment to its mission
- Consistent effort to continue improving services
- Demonstrable success in the business world.
In the past year, Samsung Biologics has achieved all three of these goals. Yet they aren’t satisfied with simply stopping there. The company plans to do more, supply more, make even more partnerships and offer its services to more medical researchers and pharmaceutical companies.
Biopharmaceutical companies play a key role in the restoration of the world and the global market after the destructive COVID-19 pandemic. Although more than 900 million people have already been vaccinated as of June 2021, that number is still only 12 percent of the global population. Companies like Samsung Biologics play a crucial role in supporting pharmaceutical companies to provide vaccines to these populations quickly and reliably..
Strategic Partnerships
Samsung Biologics has made several partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies to assist them in their goals for helping the world deal with COVID-19, and other diseases as well.
One partnership included Moderna, one of the world’s top producers of a COVID-19 vaccine that has been proven to be safe, effective, and accessible. Samsung Biologics agreed to help produce hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccines with fill and finish services for the company in order to get them distributed across the globe.
“This vaccine is paramount to people around the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and we truly appreciate our client Moderna for entrusting and choosing to partner with Samsung Biologics for the fill and finish of this important vaccine,” said John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics. “Due to the high level of urgency in supplying the vaccine to the global population, we have set immediate action plans and schedules to make mRNA-1273 available for commercial distribution in the early second half of 2021.”
In addition to the string of high-profile contract manufacturing (CMO) partnerships the company engaged in last year with GSK, AstraZeneca, Lilly, Samsung Biologics continues to expand also as a contract development organization(CDO) as can be seen through its recent strategic partnership with KAHR Medical Ltd., a cancer immunotherapy company.
“We are proud to announce our partnership with KAHR Medical for the production of their novel drug candidate,” said John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics. “We will leverage our fully integrated, scalable, and high-quality development services and experienced teams to enable a faster transition from gene to IND in order to ensure KAHR’s success in bringing cutting edge immuno-recruitment cancer drugs to patients in need.”
Samsung Biologics supplied end-to-end cell line development and clinical drug substance and drug product manufacturing services as well as IND filing support for KAHR’s drug candidate DSP502, a TIGITxPD1 fusion protein.
Sustainable Business Management
Samsung Biologics has also strived for a demonstrable management system when it comes to its services and operational excellence. In June 2021, the biopharmaceutical company announced that it had received four global ISO certifications: ISO22301 (Business Continuity Management), ISO50001 (Energy Management), ISO45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management), and ISO14001 (Effective Environmental Management) from the British Standards Institution (BSI).
These certifications proved that the company was capable of operating in a high-stress environment, leading the world in terms of production and manufacturing, and meeting environmental standards, a crucial role for a business engaged in making the world a better place to live. Samsung Biologics does not view itself in light of simple CDMO standards, but instead embraces a holistic view where employees are safe and happy, and no environmental damage is done.
“We are extremely proud to obtain four global ISO certifications during a time where a high degree sustainable management system is vital, especially in light of COVID-19, to stably operate and supply crucial biomedicines for patients,” John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, said of the four certifications. “Samsung Biologics is a leading CDMO committed to taking responsibility and consideration of ESG factors across all of our business areas, and we will continue to enhance our capabilities to meet the evolving needs of clients while ensuring the safety and security of not only our people but also of the environment to ultimately create a better future for humanity.”
What Is a CDMO?
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| CMO | Contract Manufacturing Organisation: makes drugs for other companies |
| CDMO | Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation: develops and makes drugs for other companies |
| CRO | Contract Research Organisation: runs research and clinical trials for other companies |
| API | Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient: the part of a drug that works |
A CDMO is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation. It develops and makes drugs for pharmaceutical companies. A drug company may have a good drug idea. But it may not have a factory. It hires a CDMO to make the drug. The CDMO has the labs, the equipment, and the experts. It can make small amounts for clinical trials. It can make large amounts for the market. A CMO is a Contract Manufacturing Organisation. It only makes drugs. It does not develop them. A CDMO does both. It helps develop the drug. It helps make it. This is why many drug companies use CDMOs. They save time. They save money. They do not need to build their own factory. Samsung Biologics is a CDMO. It is based in Incheon, South Korea. It is one of the largest CDMOs in the world. It makes biologic drugs. Biologic drugs are made from living cells. They treat cancer, immune diseases, and other serious conditions. They are harder to make than chemical drugs. They need clean rooms, special equipment, and strict quality control. Samsung Biologics has several large plants in Songdo, Incheon. It has grown fast since it was founded in 2011. It works with many global drug companies. It makes drugs for clinical trials and for the market. It also offers fill and finish services. Fill and finish means putting the drug into vials and packaging it. This is the last step before the drug reaches patients.
Why Drug Companies Use CDMOs
Drug companies use CDMOs for many reasons. First, speed. A CDMO already has a factory. A drug company does not need to build one. Building a factory takes years. Second, cost. Building and running a factory is expensive. A CDMO shares the cost across many clients. Third, expertise. A CDMO has experts in cell culture, purification, and quality control. A small drug company may not have these experts. Fourth, flexibility. A drug company can order small amounts for trials. It can order large amounts for the market. It can scale up or down. Fifth, global reach. A CDMO with plants in different countries can supply drugs worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CDMOs were very important. They helped make vaccines fast. Samsung Biologics partnered with Moderna. Moderna is one of the world’s top producers of a COVID-19 vaccine. Samsung Biologics agreed to help produce hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccines with fill and finish services. This helped get vaccines to people around the world. The company also partnered with GSK, AstraZeneca, and Lilly. It also partnered with KAHR Medical, a cancer immunotherapy company. Samsung Biologics supplied end-to-end cell line development and clinical drug substance and drug product services for KAHR Medical. Quality matters in this work. Samsung Biologics has earned global ISO certifications. These certifications show that the company can operate in a high-stress environment and meet global standards. A CDMO must follow strict rules. Regulators like the FDA in the United States and the EMA in Europe inspect CDMOs. They check the labs, the records, and the staff. A CDMO that fails an inspection can lose clients. This is why quality is the top priority for a CDMO.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Samsung Biologics?
Samsung Biologics is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) based in Incheon, South Korea. It develops and makes biologic drugs for pharmaceutical companies around the world.
What is the difference between a CMO and a CDMO?
A CMO only makes drugs for other companies. A CDMO develops and makes drugs. It helps with cell line development, clinical drug substance, and drug product services.
What drugs does Samsung Biologics make?
It makes biologic drugs, which are made from living cells. These drugs treat cancer, immune diseases, and other serious conditions. It also offers fill and finish services, such as for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Why do drug companies use CDMOs?
CDMOs save time and money. They already have factories, equipment, and experts. Drug companies can order small amounts for trials and large amounts for the market without building their own factory.
Where is Samsung Biologics based?
Samsung Biologics is based in Incheon, South Korea, with large plants in Songdo. It was founded in 2011 and has grown into one of the largest CDMOs in the world.
Disclaimer: This guide gives general information about Samsung Biologics and CDMOs. Company details, partnerships, and capacity change over time. Check Samsung Biologics’ official website for current information.
Last Updated: 6 November 2026