Boryung completes in-house production of Alimta, strengthens CDMO ambitions
Boryung said it has completed the in-house production transfer of Alimta (ingredient: pemetrexed), a chemotherapy drug for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The move marks the culmination of the company’s ongoing Legacy Brands Acquisition (LBA) strategy, through which Boryung has secured rights to three original global drugs in Korea and transitioned all of them to local manufacturing.
Under its LBA strategy, Boryung has acquired the rights to legacy brands from multinational pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly in a phased approach -- Gemzar (gemcitabine), , an injectable anticancer agent used primarily for pancreatic, lung, and breast cancers, in 2020, Zyprexa (olanzapine), an antipsychotic medication for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, in 2021, and Alimta in 2022.
The LBA model focuses on securing full rights to clinically proven original drugs and shifting their manufacturing and supply chains to Korea to ensure long-term supply stability and operational efficiency.
With Alimta now locally produced, all three LBA-acquired products are manufactured at Boryung’s Yesan Campus in South Chungcheong Province. The company completed the production transfer for Gemzar in 2022, followed by Zyprexa in early 2024, and Alimta in the second quarter of this year. Boryung emphasized that the local production shift was achieved through technology transfer and quality equivalence validation in line with global standards.
The three products have continued to show strong market performance since acquisition. According to IQVIA data, Gemzar’s annual prescription sales nearly doubled from 14.3 billion won ($10.4 million) in 2020 to 29.5 billion won in 2024. Zyprexa also saw steady growth, reaching 16.7 billion won in prescription sales last year. Alimta sales grew from 21 billion won in 2022 to 26.9 billion won in 2024, reflecting a 28 percent increase.
Beyond production, Boryung is expanding its LBA-driven strategy to the global market through its CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) business.
The company’s cytotoxic injectable facility at the Yesan Campus received EU-GMP certification from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2023, enabling it to serve international clients. In 2024, Boryung signed a CDMO agreement with Taiwan’s Lotus Pharmaceutical to produce original oncology drugs, with full-scale overseas supply expected to begin in 2026.
The company is also enhancing its LBA portfolio through formulation improvements aimed at increasing product usability and patient convenience.
The most recent example is the launch of Alimta liquid injection, which replaces the traditional freeze-dried powder formulation. The new version eliminates the need for reconstitution prior to use, reducing preparation time and minimizing the risk of handling errors in clinical settings.
Boryung previously applied the same formulation upgrade to Gemzar in 2023. The liquid form now accounts for more than 70 percent of total Gemzar sales as of the first half of this year, indicating rapid uptake in the market.
“The LBA strategy is not limited to acquiring and producing original drugs -- it’s about integrating our R&D capabilities to enhance clinical value and turn these products into better therapeutic options,” a Boryung official said.
Boryung aims to further evolve its LBA model through a virtuous cycle of acquisition, internalization, and expansion. The company plans to continue securing high-value original drugs with strong clinical reputations and brand trust, with the goal of reinforcing Korea’s pharmaceutical supply chain while expanding into the global CDMO market.
“Boryung’s LBA strategy is more than just product acquisition—it’s a growth platform that creates added value through our manufacturing infrastructure and R&D strength,” Boryung CEO Kim Jung-gyun said. “We will continue to pursue original global products and transform them into in-house assets, enabling us to fulfill our mission of becoming a company essential to human health.”