Boryung has begun supplying the anticancer drug Alimta (pemetrexed) to Lotus Pharmaceuticals in Taiwan, marking the company’s first major step in expanding its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business into the global market.
The supply agreement represents the first full-scale case of Boryung’s global CDMO operations. After signing a CDMO contract with Lotus in 2024, Boryung completed preparations for global distribution, including quality validation and regulatory approval. The company has now initiated its first shipment through its Yesan Campus in South Chungcheong Province, a manufacturing facility built to global production standards.
Building on this milestone, Boryung plans to accelerate the expansion of both its cytotoxic anticancer drug supply business and its global CDMO operations.
Participants pose for a commemorative photo during an event celebrating the launch of global CDMO supplies for Alimta at Boryung’s Yesan Campus in South Chungcheong Province. (Courtesy of Boryung)
Since acquiring Gemzar in 2020, Boryung has continued to expand its portfolio by acquiring businesses tied to original oncology brands, including Alimta. Last year, the company also signed an agreement to acquire all domestic and global rights to Taxotere.
In line with this strategy, Boryung has continued upgrading its quality management systems and manufacturing infrastructure, with a focus on its EU-GMP-certified Yesan Campus. The company said that as the importance of securing stable production capacity for anticancer drugs within the global supply chain continues to grow, it has strengthened its global market presence by internalizing manufacturing technologies for its original oncology products at its own facilities.
Following its acquisition of Alimta’s domestic business, Boryung fully transferred and internalized the original product’s manufacturing technology into its own production facilities, a capability the company considers one of its core strengths. Boryung also noted that it has enhanced product competitiveness and profitability by reformulating the drug from a powder to a liquid.
The company plans to expand this experience into overseas markets. Leveraging its expertise in internalizing manufacturing technologies for original products and improving formulations during domestic operations, Boryung aims to apply these capabilities to the global CDMO market to further enhance product competitiveness and profitability.
Its broader strategy is to move beyond simple contract manufacturing and establish a CDMO business model capable of simultaneously securing production efficiency and quality competitiveness.
Global shortages of cytotoxic anticancer drugs have recently emerged as a serious issue across international markets. Production disruptions at major manufacturing sites, unstable active pharmaceutical ingredient supplies, and shortages of manufacturing facilities have repeatedly caused supply shortages of essential chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin, leading to delays in cancer treatment.
Health authorities worldwide, including the World Health Organization, have designated cytotoxic anticancer drugs as essential medicines and emphasized the importance of securing stable supply chains.
Against this backdrop, Boryung said it is seeking to expand its role in the global supply chain as a specialist in cytotoxic anticancer drugs by leveraging the manufacturing and quality expertise it has accumulated through its global original oncology business operations. The company plans to further strengthen its stable production and supply capabilities for cytotoxic anticancer agents while actively expanding global partnerships.
Kim Sung-jin, chief strategy officer (CSO) and executive vice president of Boryung, said, “As supply chain instability continues to recur in the global market, the importance of having reliable pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply capabilities is becoming even greater.”
“Particularly in specialized medicine sectors such as cytotoxic anticancer drugs, manufacturing stability and quality management systems have become key factors in global competitiveness,” Kim added.
He further stated, “Based on our experience in internalizing original product manufacturing technologies, our quality management capabilities, and globally competitive manufacturing infrastructure developed through our domestic operations, Boryung aims to establish itself as a trusted global supply partner.”
“We will continue expanding our CDMO business not merely through increased production volume, but by strengthening our role within the global pharmaceutical supply chain,” he said.
Lee Han-soo
댓글
0