Samsung Biologics secures half of Japans top 10 pharmas as clients

Japan is the third-largest pharmaceutical market in the world, and Samsung Biologics Co. is expanding there more quickly. According to a report by Pulse, the English-language division of Maeil Business Newspaper Korea, the South Korean corporation has agreements with half of Japan’s top ten biotech and pharmaceutical firms, quickly expanding its footprint in the area.

“We have signed contracts with four of Japan’s top 10 pharma companies and are in final talks with one more,” the report quoted Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim at BioJapan 2025 held in Yokohama on Thursday.

“BioJapan is a crucial event for us. To expand our client base from the global top 20 to the top 40 pharmaceutical companies, collaboration with Japanese firms is essential. That’s why we established a Tokyo sales office and dispatched dedicated sales personnel,” he added.

Japan, which has excellent technological capabilities in cell and gene therapies as well as antibody-drug conjugates, ranks third in the world after the US and Europe.

Japan’s market for contract development and manufacturing organizations is expected to increase at a 6.8% annual rate from USD 12.3 billion in 2023 to USD 19.5 billion by 2030, according to Research and Markets.

“The demand for CDMO services in Japan is rising, and our potential partnerships with major Japanese pharmaceutical firms are expanding,” the report quoted Rim. “We are focusing on antibodies and ADC projects while building trust through face-to-face meetings.”

“The company recently raised its annual revenue growth forecast from 20-25 per cent to 25-30 per cent, suggesting that this year’s revenue could reach around 6 trillion won , up from 4.55 trillion won in 2024,” the report said.

Regarding possible expansion into the United States, Rim maintained a cautious stance amid tariff uncertainties.

“We are continuously reviewing potential entry into the US market, and the likelihood is higher than it was two to three years ago,” the report quoted Rim. “However, since labor and construction costs in the U.S. are more than 70 per cent higher than in Korea, we will make decisions after carefully assessing demand, tariffs, and process efficiency.”

Samsung Biologics’ recently launched Plant 5 integrates automation and artificial intelligence technologies, reinforcing its smart factory infrastructure.