Sanofi opens new vaccine manufacturing facility in Toronto
by CM Staff
The facility will employ over 200 skilled workers in biomanufacturing production.
The new state-of-the-art pediatric and adult vaccine manufacturing facility at Sanofi Canada’s Toronto Campus. (CNW Group/Sanofi-Aventis Canada Inc.)
TORONTO — Sanofi has opened a new pediatric and adult vaccine manufacturing facility at its Toronto campus.
Federal Health Minister Mark Holland said, “Protecting the health and safety of people in Canada is one of our government’s top priorities. With this new facility, we can strengthen our domestic biomanufacturing capacity and improve health outcomes for Canadians.”
The new facility, focused on producing pediatric and adult vaccines for pertussis (whooping cough), diphtheria, and tetanus, aims to meet the growing demand for these vaccines in Canada and globally. These vaccines will be exported to 60 markets worldwide.
Brendan O’Callaghan, Sanofi’s executive vice president of manufacturing and supply said, “This investment is representative of the incredible transformation that is underway across Sanofi’s global network. We are building the capacities and capabilities we will need to support the impressive growth of our commercial portfolio while preparing for the exciting wave of new Product Launches to emerge from our pipeline over the coming years.”
Stephanie Veyrun-Manetti, Sanofi Canada country lead and general manager of specialty care said the company is “committed to investments and innovation that improve people’s lives around the world.”
The facility is part of Sanofi’s biomanufacturing expansion in Canada and will employ more than 200 skilled workers in biomanufacturing production, contributing to Sanofi’s total workforce of 2,000 employees in Canada. The investment, totalling over $800 million, includes support from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments.
Justin Trudeau, prime minister of Canada, attended the official opening of the facility and said Canada will produce “a lot more” of it including flu vaccines. “Sanofi’s two new facilities in Toronto employ hundreds of highly skilled staff, protect the health and wellbeing of Canadians, and give our scientists, innovators, and researchers a fair chance to succeed.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also attended the inauguration and welcomed Sanofi’s investment in the province. “This new state-of-the-art facility is another vote of confidence in our workers and our growing life sciences sector, helping to ensure people in Ontario and around the world have increased access to life-saving vaccines when we need them.”
