Celltrion opens production site in New Jersey

Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin, center, attends the opening ceremony of Celltrion Branchburg production facility in New Jersey, Monday (local time). Second from left are Celltrion Branchburg CEO Todd Winge, Celltrion Holdings Executive Vice Chairwoman Park Kyung-ok, Seo, U.S. Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. and U.S. Senator Andy Kim. Courtesy of Celltrion

Celltrion officially launched the operation of its new production facility in Branchburg, New Jersey, Monday (local time), just five months after the Korean biotech firm took over the facility from Eli Lilly to expand its U.S. presence.

Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin, U.S. Senator Andy Kim, Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., Branchburg Township Mayor Thomas Young and other dignitaries attended the opening ceremony, where Kean presented a U.S. flag and asked that it be displayed at the facility.

“We will expand the Branchburg facility into an integrated contract development and manufacturing hub by setting up R&D centers,” Seo said during the ceremony. “This will make Celltrion Branchburg one of the key pillars of Celltrion’s global growth alongside our headquarters in Songdo (Incheon).”

The company also appointed Todd Winge, former site head of Eli Lilly’s Branchburg operations, as CEO of Celltrion Branchburg, establishing a locally based management system.

The launch came just five months after Celltrion was selected as the preferred bidder for the Branchburg facility in late July. Celltrion and Eli Lilly closed the deal on Dec. 31, with Celltrion acquiring the facilities for $330 million and signing contracts for the contract manufacturing of drug substances worth $473 million for Eli Lilly.

With the opening of the new facility, Celltrion said it is now able to address U.S. tariff risks better and establish a stable supply system in the U.S., strengthening its manufacturing network. By acquiring a facility that complies with U.S. Current Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations, the company has also minimized risks associated with building a new site from scratch, Celltrion said.

Celltrion plans to use the facility as a production hub for U.S.-bound products, while expanding it into a strategic base for its contract development and manufacturing business targeting global pharmaceutical companies.

“The facility is more than just a production site within the U.S. and will serve as a major turning point in advancing our global production and supply network,” a Celltrion official said. “By fully eliminating tariff risks and strengthening our competitiveness in the global contract development and manufacturing business, we will stay firmly on track to become a leading global pharmaceutical company.”