K-bio attracts global attention at CPhI Worldwide 2023 in Barcelona

[Courtesy of KOTRA]

At the Convention on Pharmaceutical Ingredients (CPhI) Worldwide 2023, Europe’s largest pharma and biotech exhibition that opened in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday local time, South Korean pharma and biotech companies attracted attention, a change of scene after the Covid-19 pandemic. “I can definitely feel greater interest in Korean pharma and bio since the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly with Samsung BioLogics Co. and Celltrion Inc. setting up large booths to shine the spotlight on K-pharma and bio,” an official from a Korean company attending the event said.

CPhI, which, along with BIO International Convention, is considered one of the two largest trade shows in the global pharma and biotech industry and held in major European cities every year. This year’s exhibition that took place in Barcelona from Tuesday to Thursday attracted more than 2,500 pharma and biotech companies from more than 170 countries, with over 45,000 industry stakeholders estimated to be attending the event.

At this year’s CPhI, a total of 73 Korean companies set up booths, 10 more than last year, demonstrating the enhanced status of the K-bio industry.

Celltrion had its own booth for the 2023 event, but with a size of 206 square meters, 1.5 times bigger than last year with an exclusive meeting room and meeting space. The company recently introduced new products such as Zymfentra, which gained new drug approval in the United States, and enhanced its brand awareness with its increased global market share.

Lotte Biologics Co., which opted for a solo booth this year as well, presented its production capacity at its Syracuse site in the United States and plans to create a tech platform for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

SK pharmteco’s had the biggest booth to date, measuring 189 square meters. With an expanded portfolio, it also moved its exhibition location from the section for active pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) to that for contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), where major global CDMO companies’ booths were located.

This year, Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. also organized an exclusive booth and accelerated its plans to conclude overseas deals for its new drugs developed in-house, including Fexuclue, a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux diseases. Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co. GC Biopharma Corp., ST Pharm Co., and JW Holdings Corp. also have booths at the event.