Samsung Biologics to buy US drug production facility from GSK for $280 million

SEOUL, Dec 22 (Reuters) - South Korea's Samsung Biologics 207940.KS said on Monday it is acquiring its first U.S. drug production facility from GSK GSK.L for $280 million to respond to long-term U.S. market demand.

The company's U.S. unit, Samsung Biologics America, is acquiring a 100% stake in Human Genome Sciences Inc of Rockville, Maryland, the South Korean contract drug manufacturer said in a statement.

Samsung Biologics plans additional investments to expand the site's capacity, currently a combined 60,000 liters of drug substance capacity, and to upgrade technology, it said.

It added that the acquisition value may change when the deal closes, likely around the end of the first quarter of 2026.

South Korea's Celltrion 068270.KS is also planning to produce drugs in the United States, where the Trump administration has threatened to levy tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

Under a deal with the United States, tariffs on U.S. imports of South Korean pharmaceuticals will be no greater than 15%, while generic drugs will be tariff-free.

Samsung Biologics shares were down 0.4% on Monday, lagging the wider market's .KS11 2% gain.