Sanofi Invests $340M in Belgium Biologics Expansion

April 20, 2016

Sanofi plans to invest $340M to expand its site in Geel, Belgium. The company plans to adapt and expand existing production capabilities to support Sanofi's pipeline of monoclonal antibodies. Updates to the existing facility will include the development of new laboratories focused on quality control and manufacturing sciences.

"This investment not only strengthens our goal of becoming a leader in biologics, but represents our focus on patients' needs," said Philippe Luscan, Executive VP, Global Industrial Affairs and president of Sanofi in France. "We have a robust development pipeline of biological molecules, including monoclonal antibodies, and this investment furthers our work and expertise in key disease areas such as cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and atopic dermatitis. This is an exciting opportunity for our site in Geel and we are very pleased with the support we received from the Government of Flanders, the Flanders Investment and Trade and the Flanders Entrepreneurship agency."

The site is currently responsible for the global production of a protein therapy for Pompe disease, a rare, genetic muscular disease that is often fatal. The protein therapy is produced using cell cultures in large bioreactors, followed by a purification process.

Through this latest investment, the state-of-the-art facility will add more than 8,000 square meters of manufacturing floor space, enabling the site to increase its overall production capacity and diversify to other drugs and therapeutic areas. In support of this expansion, Sanofi intends to recruit and leverage the expertise of highly skilled biotechnology professionals to fulfill a range of job functions.

As part of the company's strategic roadmap, Sanofi aims to launch several biologics in the upcoming years.