Korea Otsuka Pharma’s Hyangnam Plant rises as a global hub

Established in 1989…. Produces and supplies 99% of the company’s pharmaceuticals released in Korea

Was selected as the first ever Digital Medicine (DM) manufacturing site in the world… reexport to Japan also raises attention

External growth of 40 billion a year in exports… is a cGMP·EU-GMP facility in charge of Norht America, EU and Asia-Pacific region

Pic.

 

of Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical

Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical, which is soon to face its 40th anniversary in Korea, is receiving attention with its Hyangnam Plant rising as a forward base for global exports and production.

 

Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical is a global total healthcare enterprise that covers a wide range of businesses from clinical research, R&D, manufacturing, and export of pharmaceuticals.

 

The company will celebrate its 40th anniversary in Korea in 2022.

 

It is one of the rare multinational pharmaceutical companies in Korea that owns and operates a large-scale production facility locally in the Hyangnam Pharmaceutical Industrial Complex in Gyeonggi-do.

 

99% of the company’s pharmaceutical products released in Korea are supplied through the local Hyangnam plant, and Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical has continuously invested in the manufacturing facility to expand the facility's role as Otsuka’s global hub.

 

Established in 1989, Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Hyangnam Plant obtained KGMP approval in December 1990, and BGMP approval in December 1999.

 

By obtaining approval from the US FDA as an API manufacturing facility in July 2000, the plant had grown into a production facility that covers the entire process of drug production from raw material synthesis to the finished product.

 

Ever since its establishment, the company has been continuously investing in the production facility, gradually transforming the plant into a world-class production facility that can produce pharmaceuticals that meet global quality standards.

 

In 2018, the plant was also selected as the first-ever Digital Medicine (DM) manufacturing site, raising expectations of expanding exports to North America after obtaining cGMP approval from the US FDA as well as contributing to further progressing the domestic pharmaceutical industry's production capability.

 

Since the company started to reexport its products to Japan in 1991, Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical has expanded exports to 13 countries in Asia including China, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

 

In 2014, the company’s facility obtained EU-GMP approval and expanded its exports to 44 countries including those in Europe, raising over 40 billion won in annual exports.

 

Based on the growing export sales, the company had been awarded the ‘$10 million export Tower’ in 1998, ‘$20 million export Tower’ in 2009, and ‘$30 million export Tower’ in 2015 for its outstanding export performance, contributing to the development of Korea's pharmaceutical industry through continuous job creation and the development of the domestic economy.

 

Also, through continuous R&D investment and its independent R&D activity, the company has obtained new indications and developed new formulations, demonstrating the superior development capability of domestic researchers while increasing exports and expanding global approvals.

 

In April this year, Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical had succeeded in developing a global product- ‘Mucosta SR Tab.’ - for the treatment of gastric mucosal lesions using only domestic infrastructure through open innovation development with a domestic venture company, IMD Pharm, and Aju University Industry-Academic cooperation foundation.

 

Such R&D investment activities are not irrelevant to the virtualization of its Hyangnam plant.

 

The development of various new items with new indications and formulations led to expanded approvals in Korea and nearby countries, based on which the company has expanded exports of pharmaceuticals produced at its Hyangnam plant in Asia, Arab, and Europe regions.

 

With the increased exports, the Hyangnam plant has been exerting its influence as a well-established production base of Otsuka Pharmaceutical.

 

Meanwhile, Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical has been the only multinational pharmaceutical company to be nominated as an ‘innovative pharmaceutical company’ for 4 consecutive years in recognition of its continuous investment in production facilities and activation of the domestic pharmaceutical industry.