3 mins
Praveena Rajasekar
Senior Advisor, External Communications, Bangalore, India +91 9148157479
03
Wednesday 03 June 2026
Seoul, South Korea, June 3, 2026 – AtkinsRéalis, a global engineering services and nuclear company, and NeoCannBio, a Korea-based manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) derived from medical hemp, have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities aligned with EU Good Manufacturing Practice (EU GMP) and Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP).
Under the agreement, AtkinsRéalis will provide its global cGMP engineering expertise and project delivery experience, while NeoCannBio will contribute its commercialization and execution capabilities to establish Korea’s first hemp-based GMP-compliant pharmaceutical production facilities. The collaboration combines global technical excellence with domestic market leadership to deliver a mutually beneficial partnership.
The MOU supports NeoCannBio’s ambition to enter global regulated markets, including Europe, and to establish a foundation for future business expansion. Both companies will jointly review regulatory requirements and quality standards throughout the design, construction, and operational readiness phases.
As part of the collaboration, AtkinsRéalis is currently providing engineering and construction management (CM) services for NeoCannBio’s Hemp-Based GACP and New GMP pilot-scale facility with an approximate gross floor area of 2,400 m², leveraging its accumulated experience to support efficient project execution.
Building on this project, NeoCannBio is considering expanding into large-scale GACP cultivation facilities and EU GMP manufacturing plants, with AtkinsRéalis identified as a preferred strategic engineering partner for future large-scale developments.
Andrew Kim, CEO of AtkinsRéalis Korea, said: "This collaboration marks an important step in supporting the development of globally aligned pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities in South Korea. AtkinsRéalis will leverage its EU GMP project experience and engineering capabilities in Korea to support NeoCannBio’s current initiatives and future large-scale developments, contributing to the establishment of a robust production platform for global market expansion."
Jung-Yeob Ham, CEO of NeoCannBio, added: "This MOU marks a critical first step in establishing a production base for pharmaceutical-grade hemp-based products. Through our partnership with AtkinsRéalis, we aim to build capabilities in EU GMP-compliant facility design and develop a production platform that enables entry into global regulated markets."
Through this MOU, both companies will continue to explore further opportunities for collaboration in pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure and business expansion.
About AtkinsRéalis
Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital. News and information are available at www.atkinsrealis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About NeoCannBio
NeoCannBio is a Korea-based biotechnology company specializing in medical hemp. Established in 2021, the company develops and manufactures cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and natural product-derived ingredients, leveraging its proprietary TPC-MW extraction facilities and patented processing technologies. NeoCannBio is focused on strengthening its regulatory compliance, quality assurance capabilities, and global market readiness to support international expansion. The company is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. News and information are available at https://www.neocannbio.com.
The MOU supports NeoCannBio’s ambition to enter global regulated markets, including Europe, and to establish a foundation for future business expansion. Both companies will jointly review regulatory requirements and quality standards throughout the design, construction, and operational readiness phases.
As part of the collaboration, AtkinsRéalis is currently providing engineering and construction management (CM) services for NeoCannBio’s Hemp-Based GACP and New GMP pilot-scale facility with an approximate gross floor area of 2,400 m², leveraging its accumulated experience to support efficient project execution.
Building on this project, NeoCannBio is considering expanding into large-scale GACP cultivation facilities and EU GMP manufacturing plants, with AtkinsRéalis identified as a preferred strategic engineering partner for future large-scale developments.
Andrew Kim, CEO of AtkinsRéalis Korea, said: "This collaboration marks an important step in supporting the development of globally aligned pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities in South Korea. AtkinsRéalis will leverage its EU GMP project experience and engineering capabilities in Korea to support NeoCannBio’s current initiatives and future large-scale developments, contributing to the establishment of a robust production platform for global market expansion."
Jung-Yeob Ham, CEO of NeoCannBio, added: "This MOU marks a critical first step in establishing a production base for pharmaceutical-grade hemp-based products. Through our partnership with AtkinsRéalis, we aim to build capabilities in EU GMP-compliant facility design and develop a production platform that enables entry into global regulated markets."
Through this MOU, both companies will continue to explore further opportunities for collaboration in pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure and business expansion.
About AtkinsRéalis
Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital. News and information are available at www.atkinsrealis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About NeoCannBio
NeoCannBio is a Korea-based biotechnology company specializing in medical hemp. Established in 2021, the company develops and manufactures cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and natural product-derived ingredients, leveraging its proprietary TPC-MW extraction facilities and patented processing technologies. NeoCannBio is focused on strengthening its regulatory compliance, quality assurance capabilities, and global market readiness to support international expansion. The company is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. News and information are available at https://www.neocannbio.com.
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