AstraZeneca is reportedly planning to build a $1.5 billion facility in Singapore to manufacture antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and targeted cancer therapies. This facility will help the drugmaker establish its first end-to-end ADC production, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). The company has not disclosed potential financial incentives from the Singapore government.
AstraZeneca has been expanding its supply chain in countries such as China, Indonesia, and India in recent years. The company is involved in producing the breast cancer therapy Enhertu in Japan, among other countries. ADCs are engineered antibodies designed to target tumor cells and deliver toxic agents.
ADCs are produced through several steps, including antibody generation, production of a chemotherapy drug and its linker, conjugation of these elements, and filling the prepared ADC substance. AstraZeneca has numerous ADCs in its pipeline, including six wholly-owned ADCs entering clinical trials and more in preclinical development.
Png Cheong Boon, the chairperson of the EDB, welcomed AstraZeneca’s plans, stating that the launch of precision medicine research and manufacturing in Singapore would benefit the company and support Singapore’s development by generating job and economic growth opportunities.
The biopharmaceutical and medical technology industry, a crucial element of Singapore’s economy, contributed 3% to Singapore’s gross domestic product and supplied over S$39 billion worth of products to the international market in 2022, according to the EDB.
The construction of AstraZeneca’s plant, the company’s first manufacturing investment in Singapore, is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. It is anticipated to begin operations in 2029, with zero carbon emissions from the facility from Day 1, according to the company.
