Four Korean biopharmaceutical companies are set to converge on San Diego's BIO International Convention this week, deploying independent exhibition booths and boardroom-ready pipelines as BIOSECURE Act headwinds continue to reshape global contract manufacturing demand.
Samsung Biologics (207940.KS), Celltrion (068270.KS), SK Biopharmaceuticals (326030.KS) and Lotte Biologics are among 51 Korean firms participating in BIO USA 2026 (June 22–25), which is expected to draw more than 20,000 officials from 70-plus countries. The Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization (KoreaBio) is hosting the first-ever official Korea session at the convention — "Korea Rising: Don't Be Late to Asia's Next Innovation Hub" — signalling the country's elevated profile in global drug development.
Samsung Biologics: 14 Years, 845,000-Litre Footprint
Samsung Biologics is returning for its 14th consecutive year with an independent 140-square-metre booth on the main floor — the only Korean company to maintain a standalone booth every year since 2011. The CDMO will spotlight its acquisition of a Rockville, Maryland campus from GSK for USD 280 million, a 60,000-litre drug substance site that brings the company's total manufacturing capacity to 845,000 litres across Korea and the United States. Samsung Biologics Vice President James Choi and Executive Director Jeff Mason will lead partnering meetings aimed at expanding end-to-end CRDMO contracts with global biopharma clients.
Celltrion: From Biosimilars to AI-Driven New Drugs
Celltrion, attending for its 17th consecutive year, will use its standalone booth to advance a strategic pivot from biosimilar supplier to global new drug developer. The Incheon-based company will promote its U.S.-approved biosimilar lineup — Vegzelma (bevacizumab), Yuflyma (adalimumab) and Steqeyma (ustekinumab) — while showcasing an AI-powered research platform targeting antibody-drug conjugates and multispecific antibodies. The company argues this positions it as a hybrid innovator rather than a pure-play generic manufacturer.
SK Biopharmaceuticals: AI Zone, New Jersey Innovation Hub
SK Biopharmaceuticals has secured exhibition space in BIO USA's dedicated Digital Health and AI Zone under the slogan "SK, AI for Every Patient." The company recently established an open-innovation hub in New Jersey and plans to use the convention to share its mid- to long-term growth strategy anchored in AI-assisted drug discovery and R&D digitalisation. Business meetings are expected to focus on expanding global collaboration with academic and industry partners.
Lotte Biologics: Dual-Site CDMO Strategy
Lotte Biologics, a relative newcomer to global CDMO competition, is presenting three in-booth sessions covering a technology collaboration with Asimov, computational fluid dynamics for bioreactor scale-up and digital manufacturing capabilities. Its first Songdo Bio Campus plant in Incheon is on track for completion in August 2026, complementing the USD 160 million Syracuse, New York facility acquired in 2022. The dual-site positioning is explicitly aimed at Western biopharma clients seeking supply-chain redundancy away from Chinese contract manufacturers.
Market Context: BIOSECURE Tailwind and Strategic Maturity
The expanded Korean presence at BIO USA reflects a structural shift in the global contract development and manufacturing market. U.S. congressional scrutiny of Chinese biomanufacturers — particularly those named under proposed BIOSECURE Act legislation — has accelerated demand for alternative CDMO suppliers, and Korean companies have moved to capture that demand. Industry observers note that Korean participants are arriving "with clearer assets, defined partnering targets and concrete deal structures" rather than introductory presentations, evidence of strategic maturation in K-Bio's global expansion.
Beyond the four majors, 51 Korean companies are represented through the KoreaBio Country Pavilion, spanning oncology, vaccine development, AI drug platforms and CRO services.
