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Hanmi Expands Role as CDMO

Hanmi Expands Role as CDMO

Invests $140 million in 'smart' manufacturing plant

04.04.18


South Korea’s Hanmi Pharmaceutical has invested $140 million in a ‘smart’ manufacturing plant, expanding its role as a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO).
 
The facility, located in Paltan-myeon of Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province, sits on a 36,492 square-meter site where Hanmi has 576 employees. The plant has an annual production capacity of up to six billion tablets and drugs produced at the plant, such as Amosartan, Rovelito and Rosuzet, are distributed globally via international drug makers such as Merck Sharp & Dohme and Sanofi.
 
The company uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to monitor inventory, production speed and patterns of use on a real-time basis. Unlike the 2D barcode-based technology that can only check basic quantitative information, the RFID system captures big data from start to finish throughout the entire drug production and distribution process.  
 
The smart plant can produce various forms of drugs such as tablets—double layer, film-coated and uncoated—hard gelatin capsules and poly capsules. Production capacity is also flexible depending on the goal—from a small amount for experimental drugs to mass production. To minimize the risk of contamination, the plant adopted a "split valve" system and plans to introduce the state-of-the-art Consigma processing system. The Process Analytical Technology (PAT), which makes it possible to monitor the whole process in real time, is already in place and many processes have become automated.
 
In addition, the smart plant is located next to Hanmi's R&D lab, which it expects to give it a competitive edge in promoting its CDMO business. Eighteen percent of its sales, or around $160 million, will be invested in R&D this year, and the new plant, which produces the firm's major products, will play a critical role.
 
“It took a lot of time and money to introduce and set up high-end systems and facilities. We studied Japanese cases of process automation and European cases of manufacturing advancement. Simply put, I would say the smart plant encapsulates Hanmi's accumulated technologies and knowhow,” said Woo Jong-Soo, chief executive officer, Hanmi. “The smart plant's competitive edge lies in its distinguished design and ability to produce drugs in compliance with the current good manufacturing practice (cGMP). These were already recognized by global pharmaceutical companies such as MSD, Lilly, Sanofi and Janssen. The CDMO business with these global companies will give a big boost to Hanmi's growth.”

 

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