Novartis to build ₩140 Billion RLT Plant in Korea

MOHW and Novartis sign MOU… to strengthen domestic radiopharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing capabilities

Number of hospitals offering treatment to triple to 30, improving patient access

The multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis will make a major investment of approximately KRW 140 billion to foster a radioligand therapy ecosystem in Korea.

The investment is expected not only to establish a domestic production base for the company, but also to significantly improve access to treatment.

The fact that investment in Korea by Novartis and other global pharmaceutical companies is expanding beyond clinical trials, research and development, and open innovation into the construction of manufacturing facilities is also significant.

On the 21st, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Eun-Kyeong Jeong, Minister) signed a memorandum of understanding with Novartis (Judith Love, President of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) on the creation of an ecosystem for radioligand therapy in Korea at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Yongsan.

Radioligand therapy combines a radioactive isotope with a ligand that binds to a target protein on cells. It is an innovative advanced biotherapeutic technology that kills cancer cells by directly breaking their DNA. One representative example is Novartis’ ‘Pluvicto Inj,’ which received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2024 and has since been administered to patients in Korea.

Under the agreement, Novartis plans to invest approximately KRW 140 billion to substantially strengthen Korea’s radiopharmaceutical industry capabilities.

Specifically, Novartis will build an RLT manufacturing facility in Korea and establish an advanced cold-chain logistics network. It will also expand the number of hospitals capable of administering RLT from the current 10 to 30.

Furthermore, the company will focus investment in building the broader RLT ecosystem, including the training of domestic specialist researchers to global standards.

Novartis has invested in and collaborated with Korean pharmaceutical companies in various areas, including technology transfer and clinical research. Its latest investment in an RLT production facility, which expands these collaborative achievements into the advanced biopharmaceutical field, is expected to strengthen Korea’s research, development and manufacturing capabilities in radiopharmaceuticals.

Minister Jeong said, “We sincerely welcome Novartis's decision to make a large-scale manufacturing investment in Korea. It is meaningful that a global leader in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology market has shown confidence in Korea's outstanding technological capabilities and potential. This agreement will serve as a significant turning point in providing innovative treatment options to patients in Korea.”

Judith Love, President of Novartis APMA, added, “This agreement represents an important step in accelerating the advancement of Korea’s RLT ecosystem and strengthening the country’s role in future healthcare innovation. We will work closely with the Korean government and healthcare stakeholders to benefit more patients with our innovative cancer treatments.”