Sanofi breaks ground at S$638 million vaccine facility in Tuas
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Sanofi broke ground on April 20 on its state-of-the-art vaccine facility in Singapore, which will allow it to quickly pivot to making new vaccines that might be needed to combat future pandemics.
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French healthcare company, Sanofi, broke ground for a vaccine production facility in Singapore, which is expected to create up to 200 local jobs, while providing greater and flexible vaccine production capacity. With €900 million (S$1.3 billion) invested by Sanofi over the next five years, Sanofi will create two such facilities globally – one in France and the $638 million production site in Tuas.
Sanofi’s executive vice-president for vaccines Thomas Triomphe says, “We know that Covid-19 is not going to be here forever. So with these evolutive facilities, we are already planting the seeds and preparing for the next pandemic, and this is the level of agility that you need.” He added, “Singapore is not just an economic hub but also a technology and innovation hub. To proceed with massive investments like the EVF, you need to have a whole ecosystem of suppliers of raw materials, of starters, of innovative technologies in the same area.”
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who was guest of honor at the groundbreaking ceremony, said that the facility comes at an opportune time after the past 2 years of the Covid-19 pandemic, in which disruptions and fatalities could have been much greater if not for the development of Covid-19 vaccines.
“Covid-19 has reinforced the importance of pandemic preparedness and supply chain resilience. Disease X is not a matter of if, but when.”said Heng, who added that Singapore must prepare for the next big pandemic.
The facility will be managed by a largely Singaporean team, led by site head Koh Liang Hong. Hiring has been going as planned, said Triomphe, with a focus on expertise beyond the usual biomanufacturing.
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