[INTERVIEW] SK pharmteco's new tech to expedite cell and gene therapy process

SK pharmteco is developing technology to reduce the manufacturing time for cell and gene therapy from a month to just two or three days, potentially reducing costs and making it more accessible.

SK pharmteco CEO Joerg Ahlgrimm, right, and Kim Yeon-tae, head of SK Bio Investment Center at SK Inc., during an interview at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via conference center in Barcelona, Tuesday, where the CPHI Worldwide 2023 is taking place [SK PHARMTECO]

BARCELONA, Spain — SK pharmteco is developing a technology that may cut down what is currently a monthlong manufacturing process to only two or three days, according to its CEO.

That will ultimately bring down the cost of cell and gene therapy (CGT), which is widely considered one of the most advanced yet expensive modalities in medicine, making it more accessible to a bigger number of patients.

“We believe, over the next four to five years, we will see the average [CGT] cost go down by a factor of two, three, four or five, to become more affordable,” said SK pharmteco chief Joerg Ahlgrimm in a press interview during the CPHI Worldwide 2023 at Fira Barcelona, Tuesday.

SK pharmteco is working on a technology to reduce the cell processing time from the current 28 days to only two to three days, which will lead to “a significant reduction in cost,” according to Ahlgrimm.

It is also seeking to reduce the use of plasmid, which is an expensive DNA molecule that drives up production costs for CGT drugs, by deploying advanced packaging cell lines currently under development, and also to push up batch yield rates.

SK pharmteco, the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) subsidiary of SK Inc., has recently secured a CGT manufacturing capacity that spans across two continents — a significant pull factor for potential new clients, according to the CEO.

“The important piece for us right now is that we have capabilities from two sides of the ocean, so two of the important regions,” said Ahlgrimm.

“And we believe this gives us significant benefits, [as] a lot of clients are looking for redundant supply on both sides of the ocean.”

SK pharmteco previously invested $350 million in the Center for Breakthrough Medicines (CBM) to become the second largest shareholder of the Philadelphia-based CGT CDMO, and recently secured a controlling stake in the company.

As SK pharmteco acquired Yposkesi, a French CGT CDMO company, in 2021, the latest acquisition of the CBM solidified the U.S. company’s position as another pillar for SK’s global production along with Yposkesi, the European pillar.

“At the same time, we see a lot of good synergies when it comes to our technological platforms,” added Ahlgrimm.

The combination of each company’s capabilities “reduces the effort for the process development,” while also giving a competitive edge from a commercial perspective, the CEO explained.

Ahlgrimm will have about 30 meetings in total throughout the duration of the CPHI, and his team has also been scheduled for over 80 meetings with not only existing customers but also new, potential customers over the course of the three-day event.

SK pharmteco’s CBM is currently building a 65,000-square-meter CGT production facility, the largest of its kind in the world. Yposkesi completed the construction of its second plant in June, which made the French CDMO become one of Europe's largest biomanufacturers for CGT that spans 10,000 square meters.

“This could be a record year in terms of getting approvals [for new drugs],” said Ahlgrimm.

“What I love so much about this industry is that we do something that changes people’s lives,” the CEO continued, “I think that is something that motivates our team, motivates our company, and motivates our clients.”

Ahlgrimm previously served as the CEO of CMB before joining SK pharmteco in 2022. During his 25 years of experience in the field, Ahlgrimm also spearheaded global operations of pharma biotech and nutrition at Lonza.

This year’s CPHI Worldwide, the largest pharmaceutical trade show in the world, began on Tuesday and will run through Thursday in Barcelona. SK pharmteco set up a dedicated booth with a focus on its small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients and CGT capabilities.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]