Samsung Biologics’ founding CEO, Dr. Tae Han Kim, created a company that has quickly become a global leader in the biopharmaceutical industry–and a key business partner in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. As a fully integrated CDMO offering state-of-the-art contract development, manufacturing, and laboratory testing services, the company has continued to demonstrate a dedication to customer service over the past nine years, even more so in the past few months.
In a recent interview, Dr. Kim discussed the company’s response to the outbreak and its client-centric business model that played a valuable role in the global battle against COVID-19.
How South Korea and Samsung Biologics Dealt With The Impact of COVID-19
Samsung Biologics, headquartered in South Korea, has been keeping a close eye on the development of the global COVID-19 pandemic. South Korea is currently experiencing a steady decline in confirmed cases, which health officials attribute to a few concrete steps that the country has taken:
● Acting early to expedite regulatory approval of test kits.
● Implementing transparency in using technology and infrastructure for tracing and tracking infections.
● Making it easy to access more than 600 testing sites with a total capacity to support up to 20,000 people per day.
● Optimizing treatment options and capacity for high-risk patients.
At the same time, Samsung Biologics took the following measures to protect its workforce and organization, resulting in zero confirmed employee COVID-19 cases.
● Ensuring that all high-traffic areas and areas of critical importance to the business are thoroughly disinfected every day.
● Requiring all employees present at work to maintain their social distance from others to minimize the spread.
● Enforcing the use of masks and sanitizers at all times to add another layer of protection for employees.
In addition to maintaining the health and safety of all those who work at Samsung Biologics, the company also developed protocols to better serve its clients. It proactively protected the management of the global supply chain, which helps ensure the critical production of medicines and drugs that people rely on. The company also regularly assesses the risk of all the services it offers to minimize disruption to the business while still meeting the supply demands of its partners.
“As people around the globe continue to face the many challenges presented by COVID-19, we are always taking actions to adapt to any unexpected changes,” said Dr. Kim. “We are proud of our teams who have prioritized the health and safety of our employees and clients, while also moving quickly to protect our business and strengthen our strategic priorities for 2020 and beyond.”
Building a Foundation Around a Client-Centric Business Model
With a dedication to helping improve people’s happiness by also improving their health, Samsung Biologics continues to be a leader in the production and manufacturing of critical medicines, including the ones needed in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. By monitoring global trends, Dr. Kim seeks to understand and find ways that the company can better adapt and serve customers in the face of this pandemic.
“Our biological capabilities, including the accelerated cell line developments, allow for us to scale and meet the manufacturing needs of our partners without delay,” said Dr. Kim. “This client-centric model helps us play a critical role in the fight against COVID-19.”
To facilitate client communications, the company offered an immersive virtual reality solution to bridge the physical distance amidst travel restrictions. Continuing its business development, client audit, and inspection activities through new creative live virtual tours supporting client due diligence, Samsung Biologics signed 10 new projects in the first quarter with both local and global clients as a result.
At the core, Samsung Biologics and Dr. Kim sees the current pandemic as a reinforcement of the importance and value of contract development and what manufacturing partners can bring to the conversation about the future of healthcare.
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