BioNTech has become somewhat of a household name after their collaboration with Pfizer on their Covid-19 vaccine.
Now, the biopharmaceutical company has announced its plans to set up a regional headquarters and manufacturing facility in Singapore.
It is expected that this will create at least 80 jobs here in Singapore by 2023.
German company BioNTech announced on Monday (10 May) that Singapore will be designated as its Southeast Asia (SEA) headquarters.
They will also be setting up an mRNA manufacturing facility, reported The Straits Times (ST).
BioNTech plans to open the office and start construction of the manufacturing facility by 2021 once they get approval.
It is expected to be operational by 2023, creating at least 80 jobs.
This plan is welcomed by Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB).
Setting a facility up in Singapore would also mean that a certain percentage of Covid-19 vaccines manufactured will also be going to Singapore.
However, BioNTech chief executive (CEO) Ugur Sahin emphasised that the Singapore facility will not aid the production of vaccines in the next 12 months.
That production has to fall to current facilities.
In collaboration with Phizer, BioNTech’s plans are now to produce up to 3 billion doses in 2021.
More than 40% of these doses will go to low and middle-income countries.
BioNTech’s CEO revealed that the company is currently discussing whether to acquire an existing building or build a new infrastructure from scratch for their manufacturing facility.
The company is reportedly investing hundreds of millions of US dollars into Singapore.
They see this as a long-term investment in biotechnology here that goes beyond Covid-19.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), they eventually hope to produce a range of novel mRNA vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases and cancer.
Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing participated in the Web conference where BioNTech made the announcement.
In his Facebook post, Mr Chan expressed that this was an important investment for Singapore as it signalled BioNTech’s confidence in our country’s fundamentals.
This will also be Singapore’s first mRNA manufacturing facility, which will help strengthen Singapore as a leading hub for biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
In the long-term, Mr Chan said that this will also help with job creation and enhance Singapore’s resilience in dealing with future pandemics.
To have a leading biotechnology company set up its headquarters in Singapore is an important development for us.
This would allow Singapore to better contribute to the pandemic relief globally.
Hopefully in the long run, with such cutting-edge investments entering Singapore, we would also be better prepared for future infectious outbreaks.
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