Sanofi has invested €40m into bioproduction capabilities at its Lyon Gerland site.
This cash injection will enable Sanofi to support both monoclonal antibody production and polyclonal antibody development.
The drugs produced at Sanofi's Lyon Gerland site will be utilised both in patients undergoing transplantation and those with type I diabetes.
With more than €1bn committed to biopharmaceutical production since last May, Sanofi aims to expand its capabilities — specifically in France.
Lyon Gerland site's capabilities
Through this investment, Sanofi will continue to support the production of Thymoglobulin, an immunosuppressant drug used in transplant patients with acute kidney transplant rejection.
Additionally, the company will expand its capabilities to preempt the potential rise in bioproduction needs for a type I diabetes-delaying drug, TZIELD.
A significant proportion of the €40m investment will be dedicated to the production and development of the second-gen polyclonal antibody designed for transplant patients.
More than €15m will also be invested into monoclonal antibody production within France, specifically for the treatment of type I diabetes.
General Manager for France at Sanofi, Charles Wolf, commented: “With this significant investment, we are strengthening our footprint in bioproduction from France to serve our ambitions in immunology. Our Lyon Gerland site already holds a central place in the Lyon ecosystem of life sciences and this investment serves as a new step to allow us to accelerate its increased role in serving patients in France and around the world.”
Sanofi's anti-lymphocyte serum
A drug product dedicated to transplant patients, Sanofi's anti-lymphocyte serum is an immunosuppressant exclusively manufactured at the Lyon Gerland site.
The site currently produces approximately 1.6 million vials per year, though demand is rising.
To cater to the growing need for immunosuppressants, Sanofi has developed a novel manufacturing process to enhance supply chain resilience, boost production capacity and improve the sustainability of production.
The first industrial batches of the serum will be produced in 2025, with the first commercial batches hitting the commercial market in 2027.
Production of this medicine will continue as previously until this new process can be fully implemented.
[Image credit: Sanofi, Lyon Gerland site]