Novartis breaks ground on $256m Singapore plant expansion

Upon completion, the $256 million expanded facility will increase the total facility size from 370,000 to 450,000 square-foot and is expected to be operational by early 2026.

According to the firm, the expansion will focus on producing therapeutic antibody drugs to deliver breakthrough treatments to patients worldwide, and the investment will facilitate Novartis in deploying digital and automation solutions to enhance manufacturing productivity, improve operational efficiency, and upskill the workforce.

“The expanded site will focus on manufacturing therapeutic antibody drugs to deliver breakthrough treatments to patients globally,” a spokesperson for Novartis told BioProcess Insider.

“The new highly automated facility can further manufacture high-quality monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), bi-specific antibodies, and other mammalian products more rapidly in greater volumes.”

Reinforcing Novartis’ commitment to enhancing Singapore’s biologics innovation capabilities and cultivating talent, the expansion will create 100 high skilled employment opportunities.

“Biotherapeutics now account for almost one-half of all recent drug approvals and have enormous potential to address unmet needs of patients across a wide range of diseases,” the spokesperson added.

“With a focus on biologics, this site expansion will help us stay ahead of demand for biologics in the mid to longer term by supporting the company’s increasingly sophisticated pipeline with the most advanced technical infrastructure, alongside the highest level of capabilities.”

Novartis in Singapore

Novartis has had a presence in Singapore since 1986. According to the firm, it has invested over $1 billion to “uplift the pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities of the nation.” In 2013, Novartis opened its first biopharmaceutical production facility in backed by the Singapore government.

Addressing the most recent expansion, Heng Swee Keat, deputy prime minister and coordinating minister for economic policies said, “In the next phase of growth for the biopharma sector, we should seek to make manufacturing more sustainable and productive, as well as to make products that are more targeted, precise and effective.”

“With Singapore’s biomedical investments over the years, we have built an ecosystem that is well-positioned to work with global partners like Novartis to deliver best-in-class and innovative biologics products that can combat diseases and increase healthspans, around the region and globally.”