Sanofi has developed Framingham facility after conducting several pilots for manufacturing biologics across its network
Image: The new facility enables continuous production of biologics. Photo: Courtesy of Sanofi.
French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi has opened its new digital manufacturing facility, powered by continuous biologics production technology, in Framingham, Massachusetts.
The facility has been designed to feature advanced technology that connects the production process with research and development to improve the commercialisation of new medicines for patients.
Sanofi global industrial affairs executive vice president Philippe Luscan said: “We have been investing for some years to prepare for Sanofi’s future. Our Framingham facility leads the way in delivering the next generation of biologics manufacturing, leveraging intensified, continuous processing in a fully integrated digitally powered facility.
“This opening demonstrates we are at the leading edge of innovation and manufacturing excellence, helping us to shape the future of both our company and the industry.”
The new facility features advanced manufacturing technologies
The pharmaceutical firm said that the new facility is expected to accelerate the recent transformation of Industrial Affairs organization to focus on biologics-based therapies, and is in line with the transformation of the company’s R&D pipeline.
In addition, the advanced paperless and data-driven manufacturing technologies of the facility would enable the company to achieve increased productivity, agility, and flexibility, and reduce the time taken for moving products from the labs to the manufacturing plant, and meeting the needs of patients.
Sanofi said that the digital transformation of its manufacturing network plays a key role in optimising the manufacturing processes, increasing efficiencies, improving the agility for responding to the patient needs, and speeding up the commercialisation of new medicines emerging from the R&D pipeline.
The company has developed the Framingham facility, after conducting several pilots for manufacturing biologics across its network.
Apart from Framingham, Sanofi is also planning to accelerate digital transformation initiatives across its network in Toronto, Canada; Suzano, Brazil; Waterford, Ireland; Sisteron, France; and Geel, Belgium.
The new bio-manufacturing facility is part of the company’s integrated, cross-functional biologics hub in Framingham, which offers co-location for the delivery of advanced new therapies from early-stage research and process development.
The co-location of critical functions including quality control and compliance, regulatory, engineering, supply chain, and learning and development would facilitate end-to-end product and process design and manufacturing.