SK pharmteco is expanding its facilities across Ireland, South Korea, and the US  to enhance its small-molecule active pharmaceutial ingredient (API), peptide, and advanced therapy manufacturing capabilities. Joyce Fitzharris, Head of Small Molecule, Europe, SK pharmteco, outlined the expansions at the DCAT Member Companies Announcement Forum at DCAT Week.  

In Ireland, a $35-million investment in Swords (Dublin) will expand SK pharmteco’s small-molecule API CDMO services. This multi-purpose manufacturing facility will include 26.5 m³ (~7,000 gallons) of reactor capacity with 3 x 8,000-L reactors, holding tanks, and a Hastelloy filter dryer within an 11,000-square-foot commercial-scale production facility. The expansion will increase SK pharmteco’s European production capacity by 25%. In the first quarter 2025, the facility’s superstructure was completed and made weather-tight. Equipment will be installed in the third quarter 2025. Validation is set for third-fourth quarter of 2025, and the facility will be operational in the first quarter of 2026. 

In South Korea, the company is investing $260 million to establish a five-story, 135,800-square foot facility in Sejong, enhancing SK pharmteco’s peptide and small-molecule API manufacturing capabilities. This expansion will include eight production trains capable of producing tens of metric tons annually, as well as peptide R&D facilities, cGMP kilo labs, and a cGMP pilot plant. The facility will support pharmaceutical companies worldwide with early-stage clinical, development to commercial production. 

In the US, SK pharmteco is investing in a new CGMP plasmid suite in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. This suite will support the production of plasmids as starting materials in viral vectors and mRNA, DNA, gene-modified cell and protein therapeutics manufacturing while complementing existing plasmid R&D production and assessment services. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for April 2025 to mark this expansion for advanced therapy manufacturing. 

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