Sanofi, Pfizer and AstraZeneca separately pledged to increase their footprint in France, with investments adding up to almost €2 billion. GSK, AbbVie and Novartis are also allocating money to expand their respective manufacturing and R&D capabilities in the country.
The pharma announcements are a part of a much larger €15 billion ($16.2 billion) investment from a total of 56 companies that includes Amazon and Microsoft, as the foreign direct investment summit, dubbed Choose France, kicks off in Versailles on Monday.
Sanofi, which has said its heart “beats in France” and vowed to keep building in its home country, said it is pouring more than €1 billion ($1.08 billion) to boost the production of its current and future biologics in the country. The new commitment comes on top of €2.5 billion worth of projects it previously touted, most notably to build up France as its “center of excellence” in vaccine R&D.
The bulk of the investment — €1 billion total — will go to a site in Vitry-sur-Seine, where Sanofi plans to double production capacity of monoclonal antibodies by building a new facility. Several of its potential blockbuster medicines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis and diabetes could be produced here, according to a press release.
It’s also investing €100 million into new capacity at the Le Trait site in Normandy, which does biologics formulation, filling, device assembly and packaging. Dupixent, Sanofi’s top-selling anti-inflammatory antibody, will be among the drugs going through that site.
Another €10 million will support the production of TZield, a biologic approved to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes, in Lyon Gerland. Sanofi acquired the drug through its buyout of Provention Bio, and it’s so far been manufactured outside Europe.
In addition to creating around 500 jobs in total, Sanofi emphasized how its move will support France’s “health sovereignty” — enabling the country to control the production of essential medicines.
The company noted that more than 60% of its production takes place in the European Union, and it only sources 5% of its active ingredients in Asia.
Pfizer allocates another €500M
Meanwhile, Pfizer said its €500 million ($539 million) pledge is a part of its existing five-year investment plan in France that now totals more than €1.5 billion.
Monday’s additional investment will be used to boost Pfizer’s R&D capabilities and clinical trial collaborations, notably in sickle cell disease and multiple myeloma, Pfizer’s country president Reda Guiha said in a statement.
The funds will also be used to boost manufacturing in the country, with further plans to increase its production capabilities there for its commercial and clinical-stage assets.
The New York-headquartered company has previously allocated €520 million and €500 million on two separate occasions, according to a Monday press release. Of that amount, €730 million has been spent on R&D partnerships, clinical trials and manufacturing.
As for AstraZeneca, it will invest €360 million ($388 million) in its manufacturing facility in Dunkirk, according to a Sunday press release in French.
This facility, which specializes in producing inhaled devices for respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, produces four marketed inhaled medications. The site currently employs around 800 staffers and the new investment will add 100 more jobs. The UK-based company has over 2,000 staffers in France.
The €360 million will be used to establish two new assembly and packaging lines as well as new builds. The investment will also support the development of a propellant gas designed to lower global warming emissions. Since 2020, AstraZeneca has invested $526 million into its Dunkirk site.
GSK’s three facilities
GSK is also investing €140 million ($151 million) across three facilities in France. The investment will be spread across its drug inhalation manufacturing site in Evreux, its vaccine facility in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, and its oral dosage site in Mayenne. Monday’s announcement is part of the UK pharma’s larger €600 million ($648 million) investment in France to be used between 2024 and 2026, according to the summit document.
AbbVie and Novartis are pledging relatively smaller amounts. AbbVie is pumping €36 million ($39 million) in its Annecy-Pringy site to create new production lines and to double the facility’s R&D capacity for dermal filler products. The facility, which has a focus on aesthetic medicines, will also see an increase in worker numbers.
Novartis, meanwhile, is earmarking €30 million ($32 million) to boost supply of its radiopharma drugs in France. Novartis is looking to work with the Grenoble-based research company, Institut Laue–Langevin, to ensure the entire supply chain for its radiopharma assets for use in France is based in the country.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to add details to AstraZeneca, GSK, AbbVie and Novartis’ respective investments