Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has announced plans to develop two new sterile filling lines in Singapore to extend capacity to the Asia-Pacific region for the development and manufacture of therapies and vaccines.

Established with the support of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the $130M facility will be operated by Thermo Fisher and have the capability to manufacture pharmaceutical products to meet demand in the region and respond effectively to  future health emergencies.

The new facility will initially include a high-speed sterile line approved for live virus filling – the first such large scale capability in Singapore –  followed by an additional line for standard fill/finish. The facility will also have cleanroom capacity, labs, warehousing and offices to support production. Once operational in 2022, the facility could manufacture up to 30 million sterile doses per month and employ more than 300 people.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of government and industry collaboration to protect citizens by ensuring the availability of critical diagnostic tests, therapies and vaccines," said Marc N. Casper, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "This partnership enables us to expand our sterile fill finish network in the region while strengthening the Singapore government's ability to respond quickly to future health crises."