Samsung Biologics, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) based in South Korea, revealed that its wholly owned US subsidiary, Samsung Biologics America, is purchasing Human Genome Sciences from GSK for $280 million.¹

As a result, the CDMO acquires its first manufacturing site based in the US, while also representing growth of its global footprint. The deal is expected to close Q1 2026.

Rockville, MD facility adds cGMP biologics capacity

The plant is located in Rockville, MD—one of the epicenters of US bio-clusters. It features two current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) production plants that offer a total of 60,000 liters of drug substance capacity, which is able to accommodate clinical and commercial manufacturing, all the way to large scale.

“This landmark acquisition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to advancing global healthcare and bolstering our manufacturing capabilities in the US. The investment will enable us to deepen our collaboration with federal, state, and local stakeholders to best serve our customers and partners while ensuring a reliable and stable supply of life-saving therapeutics,” said John Rim, CEO and president of Samsung Biologics. “This marks an important step forward in our mission to achieve a better life through biomedicines, and we look forward to building on the legacy of this facility as we welcome experienced colleagues to the Samsung Biologics family and continue delivering innovative solutions that make a meaningful impact.”

While current products will continue to be produced here, there are also plans to further invest in expanding the site’s capabilities by bolstering tech that’ll help support valuable biologic meds. More than 500 current site employees will also be retained.

Building on global scale and emerging modalities

Samsung Biologics has demonstrated consistent operational and construction excellence, supported by the timely delivery of Bio Campus I and II, along with the recent acquisition of land for Bio Campus III, which is expected to support dedicated R&D and manufacturing for emerging modalities. With 785,000 liters of capacity spanning five facilities, the CDMO continues to grow a diversified portfolio that includes antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), monoclonal antibodies, mRNA, organoid-based services, and more.

"Today’s agreement to divest the Rockville manufacturing site to our valued long-term partner, Samsung Biologics, will secure the manufacture of two important medicines on US soil for US patients and further build GSK’s supply chain resilience.,” commented Regis Simard, GSK’s president of global supply chain. “Along with GSK’s recent commitment to invest $30 billion in R&D and manufacturing in the US over the next five years, this deal enables us to further focus on building the agility, capacity, and capability needed in our manufacturing network to deliver the next generation of specialty medicines and vaccines. I am confident in a positive partnership and future for the Rockville site.”

Acquisition reflects broader onshoring and policy trends

The news comes amid a time when status of President Trump’s tariffs remains uncertain; however, many pharma manufacturers have begun to onshore their production processes in order to avoid potential levies.

This threat of tariffs isn’t anything new per se. Earlier this year, he suggested that he might place tariffs as high as 200% on pharmaceuticals, but this threat was related to domestic manufacturing concerns. It now seems as though he has started making deals directly with pharma companies.

This is reflected by the recent news that 14 of the 17 companies previously called out by the President for drug prices have announced deals with the administration to offer discounted medication on TrumpRx, the DTC government-run website.² The program is expected to make its debut in 2026.

References

1. Samsung Biologics Expands U.S. Manufacturing Capabilities with Strategic Acquisition of Human Genome Sciences from GSK. Samsung Biologics. December 22, 2025. Accessed December 22, 2025. https://samsungbiologics.com/media/company-news/samsung-biologics-expands-u-s--manufacturing-capabilities-with-strategic-acquisition-from-gsk

2. Hollan M. President Trump Announces Nine More TrumpRx Participants. Pharmaceutical Commerce. December 19, 2025. Accessed December 22, 2025. https://www.pharmaceuticalcommerce.com/view/president-trump-announces-nine-more-trumprx-participants