Swiss drugmaker Novartis will invest about 140 billion won to build a domestic ecosystem for radioligand therapy (RLT). The plan is to establish local production facilities and increase the number of hospitals that can provide treatment to improve patient access, while developing Korea into an RLT research and development hub.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 21st that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Novartis at the Novotel Ambassador hotel in Yongsan, Seoul, to create a radioligand therapy research and development, production, and treatment ecosystem in Korea.
RLT is a precision targeted anticancer therapy that delivers radiation only to cancer cells by binding a radioactive isotope to a ligand that recognizes specific proteins on the surface of cancer cells. It directly damages the DNA of cancer cells to induce cell death and is regarded as a next-generation radiopharmaceutical that can minimize effects on normal tissue.
Under this agreement, Novartis will invest about 140 billion won to build a domestic RLT supply chain. The main investments are ▲ construction of a domestic RLT manufacturing facility ▲ establishment of an advanced cold-chain logistics network ▲ expansion of hospitals capable of administering RLT ▲ training of specialized research personnel.
In particular, the goal is to expand the number of medical institutions capable of administering RLT from the current 10 nationwide to 30. By building production facilities and logistics systems in Korea, the company aims to stabilize the supply of the therapy and enable patients to receive treatment at closer medical institutions.
In particular, the goal is to expand the number of medical institutions capable of administering RLT from the current 10 nationwide to 30. By building production facilities and logistics systems in Korea, the company aims to stabilize the supply of the therapy and enable patients to receive treatment at closer medical institutions.
Novartis currently leads the global RLT market. Its flagship product, the metastatic prostate cancer therapy "Pluvicto," has posted annual sales of more than 3 trillion won since its launch in 2022. In Korea, it received import approval from the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety in 2024, and the first patient dosing took place the same year.
Through this investment, Novartis plans to collaborate on developing next-generation RLT drugs and training specialized personnel by leveraging Korea's research and development capabilities and medical infrastructure. The company has carried out technology transfers and clinical studies with domestic drugmakers, and with this production facility investment, it plans to expand the scope of collaboration to advanced bio fields.
Jung Eun-kyeong, Minister of Health and Welfare, said, "We welcome Novartis' decision to make a large-scale production investment based on Korea's technological strengths and potential, as it leads the global pharmaceutical and bio market," adding, "We expect this agreement to serve as an opportunity to expand innovative treatment options for patients in Korea."
Judith Love, Novartis president for Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMA), said, "This agreement is an important step in promoting the development of Korea's RLT ecosystem and strengthening Korea's role in future medical innovation," adding, "We will work with the Korean government and various stakeholders in the medical community so that more patients can benefit from innovative cancer treatments."