Opening of continuous manufacturing facilities and expansion of production building will boost capabilities to accelerate the supply of new breakthrough medicines to patients globally

SINGAPORE -  Media OutReach  - 5July 2019 - GSK today opens new state-of-the-art manufacturing facilitiesin Singapore following a S$130m investment.

Thenew facilities are located in GSK's Jurong site and include two continuousmanufacturing facilities, and an expansion of one of the site's productionbuildings. The developments will enable the site, a leading facility withinGSK's pharmaceutical supply chain, to accelerate the supply of new breakthroughmedicines to patients globally.

Oneof the new continuous manufacturing facilities is part of Jurong's R&DPilot Plant and will strengthen the site's capability in drug manufacture byallowing faster production of APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) forclinical trials. The first New Chemical Entity (NCE) to be developed at the newfacility will be Daprodustat, a new oral treatment for anaemiaassociated with chronic kidney disease. The new manufacturing process isexpected to reduce production time of Daprodustat, enabling faster access tothis medicine for patients globally.

Theexpansion of the production building which makes APIs for HIV medicines willstrengthen GSK's capability to produce Dolutegravir, a key GSK asset for HIV treatment.The investment has enabled the renewal of critical infrastructure in theproduction building and has allowed GSK to test and develop digitaltechnologies in the manufacturing process to drive productivity improvement.

Theinvestment demonstrates GSK's commitment to Singapore as a key manufacturingand supply site for GSK's global pharmaceutical business and a testbed for advancedmanufacturing technology. The investment behind the new facilities is part ofthe GSK-EDB 10-year Singapore Manufacturing Roadmap.

Regis Simard, President Pharmaceuticals SupplyChain, GSK said, "As one of the most innovative cities in the world, Singaporeis home to an ecosystem of companies and organisations that are creating andexporting innovative solutions. Innovation is at the heart of GSK, we are gladto invest in scientific and technical excellence in Singapore to develop andlaunch the next generation of products which meet the needs of patients, payersand consumers."

LimHock Heng, Vice President & Site Director, Pharmaceuticals Supply ChainSingapore, GSK said, "Advanced manufacturing systems are pivotal for GSK tostay at the forefront of the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Furtherinvestment in digitalmanufacturing operations and processes will allow GSK to ensure efficientand high-quality production of our medicines."

ChngKai Fong, Managing Director, EDB said, "Over the years, GSK has continuallypartnered with Singapore to develop advanced manufacturing technologies, suchas continuous manufacturing and digital manufacturing. They have also been astrong partner in training our local talent. These efforts have supported thegrowth of the industry as a whole and in turn has created diverse andattractive job opportunities for Singapore."

Notes to Editors

About GSK-EDB 10-year Singapore Manufacturing Roadmap

In 2012, GSK and Singapore's Economic DevelopmentBoard (EDB) jointly explored strategic investment options for GSK in Singaporethat would be beneficial for both parties as part of their long-standingcollaborative relationship. This led to the formation of a GSK-EDB 10-yearSingapore Manufacturing Roadmap that aims to guide the investment decisions anddevelopmental work to ensure manufacturing remains a competitive edge for bothGSK and Singapore. This announcement is one of the collaborative areas in this 10-yearroadmap.

About Continuous manufacturing

Continuous manufacturing requires far fewer manualinterventions than the traditional 'batch production' in which each stage ofthe production process takes place sequentially. It enables production to be quickerand at good quality standards. The flexible nature of the production processmeans that the volume of API produced can be adapted according to demand.  There are also a number of environmentalbenefits from this technique, which will help to reduce the site's carbonfootprint.

About GSK

GSK is a science-led globalhealthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better,live longer. 

About GSK’s Jurong Site, Singapore

GSK'sJurong site was opened in 1982. The site, which now sits on a nine-hectaresite, has evolved from bulk manufacture of established products in the earlydays to becoming a leading New Product Introductions (NPI) site within the GSKpharma supply chain.  It is focused onthe development of late phase New Chemical Entities (NCEs) and delivering highervalue products such as very active compounds in small batch sizes. The sitecurrently has an R&D Pilot Plant where NCEs are developed and scaled up,and three production buildings making 13 Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients fora range of medicines prescribed for the treatment of respiratory, oncology,allergy, anti-viral and neurological conditions. There are about 490 employeesworking at the Jurong site.