French President Emmanuel Macron, Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân launched the construction of the VNVC vaccine and biological products factory in the southern province of Long An, at a virtual ceremony held from Hà Nội, as part of the French leaders' visit to Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — French President Emmanuel Macron, Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân and senior leaders of France and Việt Nam pressed the button to start the construction of the VNVC vaccine and biological products factory in the southern province of Long An, realising the cooperation plan to transfer vaccine production technology between the two strategic partners.

The factory covering an area of 26,000sq.m has an initial investment of VNĐ2 trillion (US$77.17 million) and a designed capacity of up to 100 million vaccine doses per year. It is expected to be put into operation by the end of 2027, gradually receiving technology transfer from France’s Sanofi to localise the production of important vaccines, new technology vaccines of Sanofi, serving the vaccination needs in Việt Nam and joining in the global supply chain.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place one day after the VNVC Vaccine JS Company and Sanofi Group exchanged cooperation documents on vaccine production technology transfer under the witness of State President Lương Cường and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The construction of the factory is an important milestone in realising the comprehensive strategic partnership between France and Việt Nam in medicine and biotechnology, which is expected to make practical contributions to the common achievements of the two countries in medicine and health care.

Ngô Chí Dũng, General Director and Chairman of VNVC Vaccine JS Company (second right), and Zainab Sadat Qayyum (second left), President of Sanofi for Southeast Asia and India, exchange a cooperation agreement on vaccine production technology transfer at the VNVC Vaccine and Biologicals Factory. — Photo courtesy of VNCV

​At the same time, it demonstrates the strong determination of Vietnamese enterprises to proactively expand international cooperation, gain access to and master advanced biomedical technologies, and produce high-tech vaccines, thereby contributing to strengthening preventive medicine capacity and ensuring national health security in the face of threats from dangerous infectious diseases and potential future pandemics.

Besides, VNVC is investing in a 1,500sq.m Research and Development Centre (R&D), focusing on advanced vaccine and biological production technologies, particularly mRNA vaccines.

Ngô Chí Dũng, Chairman and CEO of VNVC Vaccine JC Company, said the new factory will help reduce costs, ensure a more proactive domestic, with the potential for export.

Burak Pekmezci, Country Lead at Sanofi Vietnam, said he expects the new factory, built to global standards, will soon provide vaccines, medicines, and disease prevention solutions to Vietnamese people. This will be a breakthrough project, contributing to Sanofi’s mission of improving public health, he added. — VNS