Sanofi has announced the opening of its new €558m-backed manufacturing facility in Singapore, which the company says leverages an “industry first” modular concept.
Located in Tuas Biomedical Park, Modulas offers flexible manufacturing capabilities to produce next generation vaccines and biological medicines.
The facility can be adapted to manufacture up to four vaccines or biopharmaceuticals simultaneously, and can be reconfigured in a matter of days to change over between pre-established technological platforms, Sanofi said.
The building can house the equivalent of 34 standardised production modules, each equipped with interconnected and modular equipment to configure production lines rapidly depending on the specific needs of the moment.
It is hoped that the approach will allow for a fast and targeted response to future health needs, including potential pandemics, and provide patients with faster access to treatments.
Brendan O’Callaghan, executive vice president, manufacturing and supply, Sanofi, said: “Leveraging cutting-edge technology, the latest in digital innovation and advanced data analytics, Modulus will help accelerate the delivery of life-changing treatments to address unmet medical needs.
“More than just a factory, it redefines healthcare delivery with flexibility and speed, enabling us to meet the changing needs of the pipeline across multiple modalities, as well as respond with urgency to future public health challenges…”
Featuring green technology and recycled materials in its construction, Modulus is also highly digitalised and low-carbon and, according to Sanofi, represents a “new era in sustainable biopharmaceutical manufacturing”.
The facility will be fully operational by the middle 2026 and is expected to generate approximately 200 new jobs spanning roles such as bioprocess engineers, automation specialists, data analysts, quality control experts, as well as specialists in artificial intelligence, machine learning and bioinformatics.
Png Cheong Boon, chairman, Singapore Economic Development Board, said: “Through its novel modular concept manufacturing facility, Sanofi will boost its ability to produce life-saving therapeutics and vaccines, and potentially for future pandemics.
“The facility will create good jobs for Singaporeans across diverse roles in our growing biopharmaceutical sector, and we look forward to partnering [with] more companies keen to serve global healthcare needs from Singapore.”