SK Plasma builds plant in Turkey to boost drug self-sufficiency

SK Chemicals CEO Ahn Jae-hyun, left, greets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a groundbreaking ceremony for SK Plasma’s blood product-based therapeutics plant in Turkey, Thursday (local time). Courtesy of SK Chemicals

SK Plasma has broken ground on a plasma-derived therapeutics manufacturing plant in Turkey, moving a long-planned project to localize production of critical medicines into the execution phase.

The company said Monday that it held a groundbreaking ceremony at the plant site in Çubuk, Ankara, through Proturk, a joint venture established with the Turkish Red Crescent.

Under the project, Proturk will build a facility with annual plasma-processing capacity of 600,000 liters and a total floor area of about 36,000 square meters.

The plant is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2028, with commercial production targeted for 2030.

The facility is expected to produce albumin, intravenous immunoglobulin and factor VIII products, creating a domestic production base for plasma-derived medicines that Turkey has largely relied on imports to obtain.

The project follows a shareholder agreement signed in November between SK Plasma and the Turkish Red Crescent covering construction of the plant and establishment of the joint venture.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated in the ceremony via a live broadcast linked to events marking the 158th anniversary of the Turkish Red Crescent.

Erdogan said the project involves investment of about 900 billion won ($595 million) and will help strengthen Turkey’s production base for essential medicines while reducing external dependence through greater manufacturing self-sufficiency.

As Proturk’s technology partner and a shareholder with a 15 percent stake, SK Plasma said it will provide technology transfer, production-facility support, quality management and workforce training. The company also said it plans to supply finished products from its Andong plant before commercial operations begin in Turkey.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.