Samsung Biologics secures deal to mass-produce Lilly's antibody treatment

SEOUL -- Samsung Biologics, a leading bio company in South Korea, has secured a long-term contract to mass-produce COVID-19 antibody treatment developed by Eli Lilly and Company, an American pharmaceutical company, showing confidence in its experience in the successful initial production that followed a deal in May. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Samsung BioLogics said the company has strengthened cooperation with Lilly to produce and deliver the initial batch of pharmaceutical products that met good manufacturing practices, which are required in order to conform to the guidelines recommended by agencies that control authorization, licensing and sale. CEO Kim Tae-han pledged the quick and stable supply of COVID-19 treatments through cooperation with Lilly.

"Based on our goal to maximize customer satisfaction and our mission to speed up the end of COVID-19, we were able to produce high-quality treatments in the shortest period of time and provide them to Lilly," Kim said, referring to a contract manufacturing organization (CMO) in May. CMO serves other companies to provide comprehensive services from development through manufacturing.

A neutralizing antibody defends a cell from a pathogen or infectious particle by neutralizing any effect it has biologically. In April, Samsung BioLogics clinched a deal worth $360 million to produce candidate materials being developed by Vir Biotechnology, an American clinical-stage immunology company. Vir agreed to transfer technology for the consignment production of candidate materials.

Vir's current development pipeline includes SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 and its proprietary monoclonal antibody platform technology will be used to identify new anti-viral antibodies that could be used as therapeutic or preventative options to help address the COVID-19 pandemic and future outbreaks.