News
2020.06.29
Taking the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) as a momentum, increasing number of Korean pharmaceutical and bio companies are trying to build a bio cluster. They expect to generate synergy effects by intensively investing in local bases and building a convergence technology complex. In Songdo, Incheon, which has grown into a bio cluster representing Korea, there are large-scale biopharmaceutical production facilities of Celltrion (KRW 305,500 ▼ 500 -0.16%) and Samsung Biologics (KRW 775,000 ▲ 0 0.00%). According to the pharmaceutical and bio industry on the 29th, Celltrion recently announced its intention to participate in the “Incheon Startup Park” project established in Songdo by Incheon Metropolitan City and Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority. Incheon Startup Park is planned to open in Tomorrow City, Songdo-dong, Incheon City within this year. The goal is to create a “Korean Silicon Valley” in Songdo by building a self-sustaining startup support ecosystem in which public resources and private capabilities are converged. Celltrion will participate in the Startup Park for the following four years as a private operator bridging the construction of Songdo Bio Valley. This project is also a part of Celltrion's ‘Group Vision 2030' announced last year. Through this project, Celltrion plans to support startups for developing innovative new drugs, select the ones proving the efficacy with animal tests for autoimmunity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and eye diseases, and supports them to enter clinical trials and proceed with subsequent development. Celltrion will lead to develop new businesses in the digital healthcare area and support localization of raw and subsidiary materials for pharmaceuticals. An official from Celltrion said, "We will actively support Songdo to become a world-class bio-valley and will foster competent bio and healthcare startups with our participation in the startup park project." Samsung Biologics, which is currently operating three factories in Songdo, is also preparing to start constructing its fourth factory. Though the site for the fourth factory has not been decided yet, but the one ext to the third factory is known to be a strong candidate. The operating rates of the first and second plants are at the highest level. The third plant, who used 35% of its production capacity last year, is expected utilize more than 60% of its capacity within this year. Hanmi Science (KRW 33,050 ▼ 250 -0.75%), a holding company of Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group, will establish a “Hanmi Smart Health Care City” on a 51,846 square meter (m²) site in the Pohang Convergence Technology Industrial District (Penta City) in Gyeongbuk. By 2030, it plans to invest 300 billion won to build a smart healthcare clinical center, a bio-open innovation R&D center, and a prototype production facility in 51,846m² land of the Pohang Free Economic Zone. Smart healthcare refers to a personalized health care service that combines health care services and medical IT. Hanmi Science expects the rapid industrialization of research results by placing a clinical center, research and development center, and prototype production facilities together. Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group has presented six innovative growth visions in the "post COVID-19 era". Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group's business projects include △Cyber Education △Digital Bio △Oral Bio △City Bio △Green Bio △Marine Bio. In the City Bio area, it plans to build a 'Smart Healthcare City' to support the medical resource management for administrative regions in the post COVID-19 era. It is a system for all citizens to manage their lives from birth to their quality of lives with IT technology. Samsung Pharmaceutical (3,710 won ▲ 0 0.00%) will creat a new business home in Osong, Chungcheongbuk-do, called the “mecca” of the domestic bio industry. Samsung Pharmaceutical plans to build a 1,200 pyeong size “Hyatt Place” with Hotel Hyatt in Osong, Chungcheongbuk-do. The project with 40 billion won investment is aims to start construction at the beginning of next year, complete it in the second half of 2022, and open in 2023. Reflecting regional characteristics, Samsung Pharmaceutical plans to create synergy with the bio-health industry by harmonizing elements such as a large-scale conference center specialized in the bio-health industry and various medical services within the Hyatt Place Osong. Source: Chosun Biz