GC Biopharma
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGC Biopharma is a South Korean biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and supplying medicines, vaccines, blood products, and treatments for rare diseases.
Last updated September 25, 2026
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Overview
GC Biopharma, known in Korea as GC녹십자 and also referred to as Green Cross or GC Pharma, is a South Korean biopharmaceutical company. Its corporate history traces its origins to 수도미생물약품판매 주식회사, established in 1967. The company describes itself as an R&D-centered business that works on medicines that can be difficult to develop but are important for patients. Its stated mission is to contribute to healthy lives, and its vision is to become a global leader in the health industry. The company’s activities span blood products, vaccines, plasma-derived and recombinant medicines, and treatments for rare diseases. Products named on its official site include the immunoglobulin product Ivyglobulin SN 10%, the quadrivalent influenza vaccine GC Flu Quadrivalent, Hunterase for Hunter syndrome, and Bimax Meta, a high-dose active vitamin product. Its history also records milestones involving hepatitis B, hemorrhagic fever, varicella, influenza, and hemophilia products. GC Biopharma offers contract manufacturing services as well as branded medicines. GC Biopharma presents research, product quality, patient need, and responsible business practices as central to its identity. Its official company overview emphasizes challenge and innovation, care and compassion, transparency and integrity, and respect and dedication. The company also describes sustainability across environmental, social, and governance work as part of its approach. The business has developed international operations through overseas manufacturing and commercial activity. The company’s history records the establishment of GC China and an Indonesian vaccine factory in 1995, and a plasma-products plant project in Thailand in 2013. GC Biopharma says its U.S. subsidiary, GC Biopharma USA, was established in 2018 as a base for U.S. pharmaceutical sales, while a Brazilian service entity was established the same year to support expansion in South America. In 2023, its blood product ALYGLO received U.S. FDA approval; sales in the United States began in 2024. The company remains active, with a portfolio spanning domestic Korean supply and international markets.
History
GC Biopharma’s corporate history begins in 1967, when 수도미생물약품판매 주식회사 was established. The company’s official history describes its development as a progression built on work in research, sales, and manufacturing, with a continuing focus on products intended to meet patient needs. In 1971, it began domestic blood-product production and changed its name to Green Cross Corporation. Early milestones included approval of the urokinase stroke treatment in 1973 and an anti-hemophilic factor product in 1974. The company built its Shingal plant in 1968 and continued expanding its production and product-development capabilities. During the 1980s, Green Cross introduced several notable products. It received approval for intravenous immunoglobulin in 1982, hepatitis B vaccine Hepavax-B in 1983, and Hantavax, described by the company as the world’s first hemorrhagic fever vaccine, in 1988. The company became publicly listed in 1989. In the following decade, its milestones included establishing the Korea Hemophilia Foundation in 1990, obtaining approval for a varicella vaccine in 1993, and establishing GC China and an Indonesian vaccine factory in 1995. The company expanded its manufacturing and product range in the 2000s. Its history records the establishment of a urokinase plant in North Korea in 2000 and the acquisition of Sanga Pharmaceutical in 2001. In 2008, it received approval for GreenGene, a recombinant hemophilia A treatment. In 2009, it completed the Ochang plant for blood products and recombinant products and opened Hwasun, described as Korea’s first vaccine-dedicated plant. That year it also received approvals for the influenza vaccine GC Flu and the novel influenza vaccine Greenflu. From 2010 onward, the company continued to develop vaccines, blood products, and rare-disease medicines, while building international regulatory and commercial reach. Hunterase was approved in 2012 as a treatment for Hunter syndrome; in 2020, it received approval in China as the first Hunter syndrome treatment there, according to the company history. A quadrivalent influenza vaccine was approved in 2015 and received WHO prequalification in 2016. Other milestones included approval of a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine in 2016, completion of the GC R&D Center in 2013, and the start of a plasma-products plant project in Thailand that year. The recent phase of the company’s history includes international approvals and commercialization. In 2018, GC Biopharma USA was established to support U.S. pharmaceutical sales, and a Brazilian service entity was established to support expansion in South America. The company’s history records WHO prequalification for its Varicella vaccine and its integrated finished-product plant in 2023, along with U.S. FDA approval of the blood product ALYGLO. Sales of ALYGLO in the United States began in 2024. The company describes itself today as an R&D-centered biopharmaceutical business and continues to present innovation, patient care, and global health-industry leadership as central to its mission.
- 2024
ALYGLO U.S. sales began
- 2023
ALYGLO received U.S. FDA approval
- 2020
Hunterase approved in China
- 2018
U.S. and Brazil entities established
- 2016
WHO prequalification and tetanus-diphtheria vaccine approval
- 2015
Quadrivalent influenza vaccine approval
- 2013
R&D center completed and Thailand plant project launched
- 2012
Hunterase approval
- 2009
Ochang and Hwasun facilities completed
- 2008
GreenGene approval
Products and positioning
An R&D-centered South Korean biopharmaceutical company focused on medicines that are difficult to develop but important to patients, with strengths in vaccines, blood products, and rare-disease treatments.
ALYGLO (Ivyglobulin SN 10%)
A blood product identified by the company as a key offering; it received U.S. FDA approval in 2023 and U.S. sales began in 2024.
GC Flu Quadrivalent
A quadrivalent influenza vaccine; the company history records its approval in 2015 and WHO prequalification in 2016.
Hunterase
A treatment for Hunter syndrome, approved in Korea in 2012 and in China in 2020 according to the company history.
GreenGene F
A recombinant hemophilia A treatment with company-history records of approval in China in 2021.
Varicella vaccine Varicella
A varicella vaccine; the company history records WHO prequalification in 2023.
Bimax Meta
A high-dose active vitamin product shown in the company's product information.
Brand decisions
- Established overseas commercial entitiesOther
Recent events
Reported
GC Pharma and affiliates report record 2020 earnings[4]
GC Pharma and its affiliated companies GCMS and GC LabCell announced record earnings for 2020. GC Pharma reported revenue of 1.5 trillion won, while GCMS exceeded 100 billion won in revenue and GC LabCell reported revenue of 85.6 billion won.
Reported
Grifols announces planned acquisition of plasma assets from GC Pharma[5]
Grifols announced that it had executed purchase arrangements with GC Pharma to acquire a Montreal plasma fractionation facility, two purification facilities and 11 U.S. plasma collection centers for US$460 million.
Sources5 sources
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