BioNTech acquires site from Novartis for mRNA facility, regional headquarters

BIONTECH’S Singapore affiliate has acquired a manufacturing site from Novartis Singapore as part of its plans to turn Singapore into a regional headquarters and set up an mRNA facility.

The move comes more than a year after the German biotech company, known for its Covid-19 vaccine developed with US company Pfizer, first announced plans to set up shop in the Republic as it looks to expand its Asia footprint.

BioNTech expects the facility, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board, to create more than 100 jobs by 2024, the company said on Monday (Nov 14).

This will be across functions such as operations, engineering, quality, finance, human resources and supply chain management, with recruiting starting immediately for the first positions.

The facility will manufacture a range of mRNA-based product candidates and authorised vaccines and therapeutics for infectious diseases in the initial stages. This includes the Covid-19 vaccine and oncology product candidates if developed, approved or authorised by regulatory authorities.

It will also produce several hundred million doses of mRNA-based vaccines annually after a full built-out. The plant will be part of BioNTech affiliate BioNTech Pharmaceuticals Asia Pacific and will be fully integrated into the company’s global manufacturing network.