Samsung Biologics launched a drug screening service using lab-grown organ models, expanding beyond its traditional manufacturing business as the Korean contractor seeks to capture clients earlier in the development process.
The company announced Monday its Samsung Organoids platform, which uses three-dimensional cell cultures that mimic human organs to test drug candidates. Samsung Biologics plans to focus initially on screening anti-cancer drug candidates through cancer-derived organoids, according to the company.
The move positions Samsung Biologics to compete with specialized contract research organizations by offering what it calls an “early lock-in” strategy. Rather than waiting for clients to approach with manufacturing needs, the company aims to engage pharmaceutical partners from the discovery stage through commercialization.
Market research firm Research and Markets expects the patient-derived organoid market to grow from $1 billion last year to $3.3 billion by 2030, representing annual growth of 22%. The projection follows the FDA’s April announcement to phase out animal testing requirements over the next three to five years, promoting lab-grown human organoids and organ-on-a-chip systems as alternatives.
Samsung Biologics claims organoids offer up to 85% patient similarity compared to existing experimental methods, though the technology remains largely unproven at scale. The company’s manufacturing expertise, including 359 approvals from global regulators, may provide quality advantages over smaller organoid specialists.
The service represents Samsung Biologics’ latest diversification effort as competition intensifies in the contract manufacturing sector.
