Novartis to Build US$700m Biotech Facility in Singapore (Singapore)
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Novartis reports it will construct a new $700 million biotechnology facility in Singapore, the drug company's largest investment in manufacturing capacity to date. Singapore was chosen for Novartis' new biotech facility from 40 potential international sites. The new site, due to be ready in 2012, will house a bio-reactor double the size of Novartis' current largest. "(We chose) Singapore for a combination of reasons. First of all, its being in the emerging growth for this region in Asia. Then, there's access to talent... support of the economic development board and the growing pharma cluster in this region," said Tom Van Laar, head of Global Technical Operations at Novartis Pharma. The biotech facility will support both clinical and commercial production of potential new products, including drugs for asthma, cancer and spinal chord injuries. Novartis has also just opened its $180 million tabletting facility in Tuas that will have the capacity to manufacture approximately 3.3 billion tablets a year. (Click here for more