Boryeong Signs Global CDMO Deal With Joulik Pharma To Supply Original Cytotoxic Anti-cancer Drug Alimita To 7 Southeast Asian Countries
Thursday, October 30, 2025
On October 30, 2025, Boryeong, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer and contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), announced a landmark global partnership with Joulik Pharma for the supply of the original cytotoxic anti-cancer drug Alimita to seven countries in Southeast Asia. This deal represents a significant milestone in Boryeong's ongoing transformation from a regional manufacturer to a global innovator and reliable supply chain partner in the highly specialized market for cytotoxic oncology therapies.
Under the terms of the agreement, Boryeong will handle the end-to-end production and regulated supply of Alimita, leveraging its advanced manufacturing infrastructure and internalized expertise developed since acquiring the domestic rights to the drug in 2022. This acquisition was a key pillar in Boryeong's broader strategy to move beyond simple production supply, focusing instead on internalizing R&D and manufacturing competencies within the oncology space. Over the past several years, Boryeong has not only established its own production system for Alimita but also successfully enhanced the formulation, particularly through the launch of liquid dosage forms, further reinforcing its competitiveness in the anticancer medicine market.
Building on previous supply partnerships, such as with Taiwan's Lotus and the recent contracts involving notifications with Cheflapham and Zyfrexa, Boryeong's collaboration with Joulik Pharma marks an acceleration of its global strategy. The new deal extends Boryeong's network across the region, aiming to provide a consistent and reliable supply of a critical class of chemotherapy drugs known for frequent shortages due to reduced production among multinational pharma majors. Such instabilities underscore the essential role of dedicated CDMOs like Boryeong, which has earned a reputation for stable, quality-assured supply chains for challenging biological and cytotoxic compounds like Gemza and Alimita.
Kim Seong-jin, Chief Strategy Officer at Boryeong, emphasized that the Joulik Pharma partnership represents more than geographic expansion. He highlighted that 'CDMO is particularly meaningful in that it is a business structure that can improve the quality of profits rather than simple external growth,' affirming the strategic value of sophisticated, high-value manufacturing operations for specialty medicines. Boryeong's model, rooted in R&D-driven process improvements and original product acquisition, equips the company to meet the stringent regulatory standards and complex logistics inherent in cytotoxic drug manufacturing, thereby reinforcing its position as a cornerstone supplier in oncology market segments prone to supply challenges.
The move comes amid sustained global demand for cancer therapeutics and an increasing focus within Asian pharma ecosystems to localize high-tech manufacturing capabilities. Through this partnership, the company intends to anchor its presence both as a CDMO and as an original branded supplier, leveraging experience with Gemza, Cheflapham, and Zyfrexa, and now with Alimita, to support stable, regional medicine access irrespective of macroeconomic or supply chain volatility.
Looking forward, Boryeong expects profit improvements as approvals are secured in the respective Southeast Asian nations, signalling the beginning of a new growth phase driven by high-quality, value-added production and strategic international collaborations. This partnership not only signals increased stability and security of key chemotherapy medicines for Southeast Asian markets but also demonstrates the maturity of Asian-based pharmaceutical CDMOs in delivering high-standard, specialized pharmacological solutions in the face of global supply uncertainties. Boryeong continues to emphasize its intent to build a strong foundation for sustainable global partnership, utilizing its global-scale manufacturing infrastructure, strict quality control, and continuously expanding R&D capability for further business transformation and added value within the Asian and global oncology supply chains.
