Korean biopharma firms gear up for record presence at BIO USA 2025
Korean pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are gearing up for a strong presence at the 2025 BIO International Convention (BIO USA), one of the world's largest biopharma exhibitions, which will take place in Boston starting June 16.
Organized annually by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, BIO USA rotates among major US biotech hubs and serves as a premier global platform for industry leaders to explore strategic partnerships and collaborations.
This year's convention, held under the theme 'The World Can't Wait,' will run from June 16 to 19 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. The event is expected to draw more than 9,000 companies from 88 countries and over 20,000 professionals from across the biopharma sector. Roughly 80 Korean companies and organizations will participate by setting up booths.
Samsung Biologics
Samsung Biologics, one of the largest exhibitors, will mark its 13th consecutive year taking part in the event. It will set up a 167-square-meter booth at the entrance of the exhibition hall — the area with the highest foot traffic — to maximize visibility and draw visitor attention.
The booth will showcase the company's expanding contract development and manufacturing organization capabilities through high-tech features such as an LED display wall and interactive touchscreens. These elements are designed to communicate Samsung's advanced service offerings with a strong emphasis on digital transformation in biopharma.
Highlights will include a comprehensive look at Samsung Biologics' latest advancements, such as the recent launch of its fifth manufacturing plant, boosting its total production capacity to 784,000 liters — among the highest in the world. The company will also spotlight its capabilities in multi-specific antibody development, its newly introduced antibody-drug conjugate services and AI-driven operational systems, all of which support its goal of becoming a global top-tier CDMO.
Other leading Korean CDMO and CMO firms — Celltrion, SK Biopharmaceuticals and Lotte Biologics — will also be attending, competing for new contracts against major players from the US, China and Japan.
Celltrion, participating for the 16th year, will operate its own booth to promote products and engage with potential partners, while SK Biopharmaceuticals plans to focus on increasing global brand recognition through a series of high-level business development meetings.
Lotte Biologics will showcase its ADC production facilities at the Syracuse Bio Campus and unveil the development roadmap for its Songdo Bio Campus Plant 1, scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2027.
Although Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Hanmi Pharmaceutical will not operate a booth at the event, they will participate through business meetings, aiming to strengthen their global presence by showcasing ongoing research and development efforts in new drug discovery.
The Cha Vaccine Institute will use the event to promote its shingles (CVI-VZV-001) and hepatitis B (CVI-HBV-002) vaccines, focusing on licensing and joint development opportunities. The institute aims to build partnerships across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America to explore co-development and tech transfer prospects.
The Cha Vaccine Institute will also participate in the company presentation sessions and the Korea Pavilion pitching event, where it will outline its research pipelines and market strategies. 'We will introduce our proprietary adjuvant platform and vaccine development capabilities at BIO USA, aiming to turn this exposure into real business outcomes,' said Yeom Jeong-seon, CEO of the Cha Vaccine Institute.
Meanwhile, Korea BIO will play a significant role at the convention. The Korea Pavilion will feature a record 51 Korean companies, and Korea BIO will facilitate discussions with the US BIO association on key issues, including customs regulations, drug pricing and supply chain resilience, while also providing a partnering platform for domestic companies.
According to an industry insider, Korea stands to benefit significantly from shifting global dynamics at this year's BIO USA.
'As US-China tensions reshape the global biotech supply chain, Korean firms that can quickly adapt to geopolitical shifts are well-positioned to secure major deals. Their strong technological base and aggressive manufacturing scale-up efforts make them attractive alternatives to Chinese firms facing regulatory hurdles, potentially positioning Korea as a central beneficiary in the new global order,' the official said, on condition of anonymity.
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