BioLogics expands U.S. CMO deal

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BioLogics expands U.S. CMO deal

Samsung BioLogics announced Tuesday a follow-on deal with a U.S. life sciences company to manufacture an eczema therapy.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Korean company will produce 16.3 billion won ($15.1 million) worth of ISB 830 for Ichnos Sciences to use in Phase 3 clinical trials.

The latest deal follows a 10 billon won agreement reached in June 2018. It can be expanded to 71.5 billion won if Ichnos Sciences successfully gains regulatory approval and commercializes the therapy for atopic dermatitis, or eczema, later on.

Samsung BioLogics said Paramus, New Jersey-based Ichnos Sciences decided to expand the contract size as the Korean biopharmaceutical company has strong capabilities as a contract manufacturing organization (CMO). The two companies signed their first contract manufacturing agreement in 2017.

Samsung BioLogics has been focusing on contract manufacturing, fulfilling production orders from other biopharmaceutical companies, on top of developing biosimilars.

Its third bio manufacturing plant, which is in Songdo, Incheon, is the largest of its kind in the world and started operations in October last year. It is equipped with “N-1 Perfusion” technology, which can cut production time by up to 30 percent in cultivating as much as 3,000 liters of cells.

“As we progress our pipeline of clinical-stage assets, including our most advanced biologic, ISB 830, we are pleased to continue to work with Samsung BioLogics to ensure continued drug substance supply for ISB 830,” said Ichnos Sciences CEO Alessandro Riva in a statement.

“We look forward to a mutually beneficial collaboration as we continue developing ISB 830 for autoimmune diseases, including atopic dermatitis.”

While the latest contract could provide Samsung BioLogics with up to 71.5 billion won, the company added that the contract volume could increase on rising demand for atopic dermatitis treatments.

According to GlobalData, an analytics firm, the market for the autoimmune disease in seven major countries including the United States, has been growing an average of 11.1 percent annually and is expected to reach around 20 trillion won in size by 2027.

The Korean company said it can expand production for ISB 830 with its third bio manufacturing plant if needed to meet the demand once the U.S. company successfully commercializes the treatment.

BY KO JUN-TAE [ko.juntae@joongang.co.kr]
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