Sanofi plant to help secure EU insulin supply

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Sanofi is planning to construct a new insulin production facility at its BioCampus in Frankfurt Höchst, Germany.

The investment will total approximately €1.3 billion by 2029, with the new facility set to secure the long-term supply of insulin for diabetic patients and “strengthen European security of supply”, the company added. Sanofi emphasised their commitment to production of this treatment as “as one of the world’s largest manufacturers of insulin”.

The BioCampus is one of its largest integrated manufacturing and distribution sites, the company confirmed.

Harnessing advanced technologies for insulin production

Sanofi remarked that in five years, “several hundred highly qualified specialists are expected to work in the new high-tech insulin plant”, which covers around 36,000m².

Key features of the new facility include its renewable energy sources and passive waste reduction in buildings. Overall, the facility will “meet the highest quality and automation standards [and] environmental and sustainability standards”, according to Sanofi.

“Our planned investment underlines the key role of our Frankfurt BioCampus in strengthening the resilience of global insulin production. The strong support of the federal and state governments for a national pharmaceutical strategy is an important signal for the biopharmaceutical industry. I am pleased that this support not only strengthens health sovereignty, but also promotes regional and national economic growth and the employment of highly qualified specialists,” commented Heidrun Irschik-Hadjieff, CEO of Sanofi in Germany.

Investing in medicine production

In May, Sanofi stated that it planned to invest €1 billion in new bioproduction capacity at three of its production sites in France (Vitry-sur-Seine (Val de Marne), Le Trait (Seine-Maritime) and Lyon Gerland (Rhône), focusing on biologic medicines. The financing will support construction of a new facility In Vitry-sur-Seine, which will “double the site’s monoclonal antibody production capacity”, the company noted.