Celltrion maps long-term shift toward antibody-based drug platform

(Celltrion)

Celltrion Inc. has unveiled a mid- to long-term strategy to move beyond biosimilars and become an antibody-based innovative drug platform company.

Speaking on Tuesday, local time, on the main track of the 44th J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, Celltrion Chief Executive Officer Seo Jin-seok said the company “has entered a new growth phase of building a true innovative drug platform beyond biosimilars” and aims to establish a robust innovation pipeline by submitting four to five clinical trial applications annually through 2028.

Seo outlined development roadmaps for 16 novel drug candidates, including antibody-drug conjugates, multispecific antibodies, Fc receptor (FcRn) inhibitors, and obesity treatments.

He also detailed plans for next-generation obesity treatment CT-G32, which Celltrion is developing as a quad-agonist, with a clinical trial application targeted for submission in the second half of next year.

Seo said the company is accelerating new drug development through in-house research and development and collaborations with global biotech companies, noting that it achieved 10 open innovation milestones in a single year to strengthen its global partnership network.

Senior Executive Vice President Lee Hyuk-jae presented plans to expand investment in the Branchburg manufacturing facility in New Jersey, which Celltrion acquired last year.

In December, the company purchased the antibody biologics manufacturing facility from Eli Lilly and Co. for $330 million and plans to invest more than $18 billion over the next 10 years to expand the site.

By 2030, Celltrion aims to boost total capacity at the facility to 132,000 liters and add drug product manufacturing lines, completing an end-to-end manufacturing system in the United States.

“The facility is being positioned as a global strategic production hub for biosimilars, innovative therapies, and some contract manufacturing volumes,” Lee said. “It will enhance speed, scale, and resilience across the global supply chain.”