GSK opens new state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities worth S$130m in Singapore

Opening of continuous manufacturing facilities and expansion of production building will boost capabilities to accelerate the supply of new breakthrough medicines to patients globally

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SINGAPORE -  Media OutReach  - 5
July 2019 - GSK today opens new state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities
in Singapore following a S$130m investment.

The
new facilities are located in GSK’s Jurong site and include two continuous
manufacturing facilities, and an expansion of one of the site’s production
buildings. The developments will enable the site, a leading facility within
GSK’s pharmaceutical supply chain, to accelerate the supply of new breakthrough
medicines to patients globally.

One
of the new continuous manufacturing facilities is part of Jurong’s R&D
Pilot Plant and will strengthen the site’s capability in drug manufacture by
allowing faster production of APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) for
clinical trials. The first New Chemical Entity (NCE) to be developed at the new
facility will be Daprodustat, a new oral treatment for anaemia
associated with chronic kidney disease. The new manufacturing process is
expected to reduce production time of Daprodustat, enabling faster access to
this medicine for patients globally.

The
expansion of the production building which makes APIs for HIV medicines will
strengthen GSK’s capability to produce Dolutegravir, a key GSK asset for HIV treatment.
The investment has enabled the renewal of critical infrastructure in the
production building and has allowed GSK to test and develop digital
technologies in the manufacturing process to drive productivity improvement.

The
investment demonstrates GSK’s commitment to Singapore as a key manufacturing
and supply site for GSK’s global pharmaceutical business and a testbed for advanced
manufacturing technology. The investment behind the new facilities is part of
the GSK-EDB 10-year Singapore Manufacturing Roadmap.

Regis Simard, President Pharmaceuticals Supply
Chain, GSK said, “As one of the most innovative cities in the world, Singapore
is home to an ecosystem of companies and organisations that are creating and
exporting innovative solutions. Innovation is at the heart of GSK, we are glad
to invest in scientific and technical excellence in Singapore to develop and
launch the next generation of products which meet the needs of patients, payers
and consumers.”

Lim
Hock Heng, Vice President & Site Director, Pharmaceuticals Supply Chain
Singapore, GSK said, “Advanced manufacturing systems are pivotal for GSK to
stay at the forefront of the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Further
investment in digital
manufacturing operations and processes will allow GSK to ensure efficient
and high-quality production of our medicines.”

Chng
Kai Fong, Managing Director, EDB said, “Over the years, GSK has continually
partnered with Singapore to develop advanced manufacturing technologies, such
as continuous manufacturing and digital manufacturing. They have also been a
strong partner in training our local talent. These efforts have supported the
growth of the industry as a whole and in turn has created diverse and
attractive job opportunities for Singapore.”

Notes to Editors

About GSK-EDB 10-year Singapore Manufacturing Roadmap

In 2012, GSK and Singapore’s Economic Development
Board (EDB) jointly explored strategic investment options for GSK in Singapore
that would be beneficial for both parties as part of their long-standing
collaborative relationship. This led to the formation of a GSK-EDB 10-year
Singapore Manufacturing Roadmap that aims to guide the investment decisions and
developmental work to ensure manufacturing remains a competitive edge for both
GSK and Singapore. This announcement is one of the collaborative areas in this 10-year
roadmap.

About Continuous manufacturing

Continuous manufacturing requires far fewer manual
interventions than the traditional ‘batch production’ in which each stage of
the production process takes place sequentially. It enables production to be quicker
and at good quality standards. The flexible nature of the production process
means that the volume of API produced can be adapted according to demand.  There are also a number of environmental
benefits from this technique, which will help to reduce the site’s carbon
footprint.

About GSK

GSK is a science-led global
healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better,
live longer. 

About GSK’s Jurong Site, Singapore

GSK’s
Jurong site was opened in 1982. The site, which now sits on a nine-hectare
site, has evolved from bulk manufacture of established products in the early
days to becoming a leading New Product Introductions (NPI) site within the GSK
pharma supply chain.  It is focused on
the development of late phase New Chemical Entities (NCEs) and delivering higher
value products such as very active compounds in small batch sizes. The site
currently has an R&D Pilot Plant where NCEs are developed and scaled up,
and three production buildings making 13 Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients for
a range of medicines prescribed for the treatment of respiratory, oncology,
allergy, anti-viral and neurological conditions. There are about 490 employees
working at the Jurong site.