SK Plasma said on the 15th it will build a plasma fractionation plant in Türkiye.
The company held a groundbreaking ceremony on the 11th local time in Cubuk, Ankara, Türkiye, and began building a local production base in earnest.
The project follows a shareholders' agreement signed last year between SK Plasma and the Turkish Red Crescent. Proturk, a joint venture the two sides established, will build a plasma fractionation plant with a total floor area of 36,000 square meters.
The plant will be able to process 600,000 liters of plasma a year and is slated to produce albumin (ABM), immunoglobulin (IVIG), and coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). It aims to be completed in the second half of 2028 and start commercial production in 2030.
Plasma fractionation products are essential medicines designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and are used to treat severe diseases. Currently, Türkiye depends largely on imports for these medicines, so when the plant is completed, it is expected to help stabilize supply and achieve self-sufficiency in medicines.
The groundbreaking was held in conjunction with the 158th anniversary celebration of the Turkish Red Crescent, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also attended by video and expressed support for the project.
SK Plasma will participate as Proturk's technology partner and a major shareholder. It will support plasma fractionation technology transfer, construction of production facilities, quality control, and training of local personnel, and receive technology fees. It will also hold 15% equity and take part in management.
Until commercial production begins, the company will also run a contract manufacturing (CMO) business under which plasma secured in Türkiye will be fractionated and produced at SK Plasma's Andong plant and supplied locally.
SK Plasma plans to use this project to build a global plasma fractionation production network linking Korea, Indonesia, and Türkiye. The company said it will use the network to enhance the stability of essential medicine supplies and expand its entry into the European and Middle Eastern markets.
Kim Seung-ju, CEO of SK Plasma, said, "Starting with Türkiye's self-sufficiency project, we will expand our global production bases to build a stable supply system and broaden the business scope of K-bio."