GSK earmarks US$190m for Singapore vaccine plant

Published: 10-Jun-2006

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said it plans to strengthen its vaccine manufacturing network by investing US$190m (S$300m) in a new plant in Singapore.


GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said it plans to strengthen its vaccine manufacturing network by investing US$190m (S$300m) in a new plant in Singapore.

The company said in a statement on Thursday that the money will be spent over the next four years in facility dedicated to the production of paediatric vaccines for the global market.

Jean Stephenne, president of GSK Biologicals said: "The Singapore primary production site will complement GSK's global vaccine manufacturing network to ensure the delivery of GSK's broad pipeline of novel vacccines."

The Singapore manufacturing plant will produce the company's conjugate vaccine for Streptococcus pneumoniae and Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae, which GSK said are two important pathogens responsible for serious illness among children globally. GSK's multiple combination of new meningitis conjugate vaccines will also be produced in the new plant.

The UK pharma group has had a presence in Singapore since the early 1970s. Last year, it opened its Centre for Research in Cognitive and Neurodegenerative Disorders in Singapore's Biopolis and also announced plans to build a new research and development pilot plant at its Global Manufacturing Supply site in Jurong.

With the new $190m plant, GSK's total investment in Singapore will be about $942m (S$1.5 bn).

Over the next five years, the company said GSK Biologicals expects to launch five new major vaccines, cervical cancer vaccine, Cervarix, a vaccine against rotavirus-induced gastroentiritis Rotarix - now licensed in 41 countries in addition to the EU markets, a vacccine to prevent pneumococcal disease, an improved flu vaccine for the elderly and several meningitis combination vaccines.

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