Sanofi opens $595m manufacturing facility in Singapore

Sanofi has officially opened a modular biologics manufacturing facility in Singapore that is designed to allow rapid switching between products and could be used to respond to an emerging pandemic threat.

The French pharma group said the S$800 million ($595 million) "evolutive vaccine facility" (EVF) – called Modulus – is a companion to an EVF already up and running in Neuville-sur-Saône in France.

The concept behind the EVF was inspired by plants used in the automotive industry that are designed to switch rapidly from one product to another.

According to Sanofi, the 58,000 sq m facility can produce up to four vaccines or biologic treatments at one time, and swap one product for another within a week – something that could take months with a conventional plant design.

"By establishing the groundwork for crucial production modules now, Modulus can ensure a swift and targeted response to any future health needs, including potential pandemics," said the drugmaker in a statement.

Work on the new Singapore facility has been underway since 2022 and it is scheduled to come fully online by the middle of 2026, creating around 200 jobs when it is completely operational, including bioprocess engineers, data analysts, quality control experts, and experts in artificial intelligence and bioinformatics. That marks a major expansion of Sanofi's current 600-strong workforce in Singapore.

The plant is located in Singapore's Tuas Biomedical Park, at the heart of Singapore's life sciences hub. Tuas is home to upwards of 14 companies employing around 7,000 employees, with Amgen, GSK, Pfizer, AbbVie, MSD, Novartis, and Roche among Sanofi's neighbours on the campus.

Earlier this year, AstraZeneca revealed that it was planning to build a $1.5 billion new facility in Singapore to manufacture antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), scheduled to open in 2029, while AbbVie broke ground on a $223 million expansion of its biologics manufacturing facility that is due to come online in 2026 and Novartis pledged $256 million to upgrade its biologics production there.

Speaking at the opening ceremony for Modulus, Singapore's Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung said: "This occasion also represents a milestone in the longstanding partnership between Sanofi and Singapore, a journey that began 50 years ago."

Adding that back then Singapore's biopharmaceutical manufacturing was "in its infancy", he pointed to the dramatic changes that have resulted on the island, now housing more than 60 production plants that employ over 9,000 people.

"We are writing a new chapter in the Sanofi-Singapore story, one of shared ambition and a commitment to improve lives," said the Minister.

Photo by Swapnil Bapat on Unsplash