Boehringer-Ingelheim Breaks Ground For World's Largest Vaccine Production Facility
Boehringer Ingelheim is developing one of the largest biotechnology production sites for veterinary vaccines in Europe, building on France's pioneering expertise in veterinary public health (VPH).
The first brick was symbolically laid for this complex on Friday 20 September by French Minister of Agriculture and Food Didier Guillaume, President of the Lyon metropolitan area David Kimelfeld and Mayor of Lyon Gérard Collomb at the facility's location in the commune of Jonage, in the eastern part of the Lyon metropolitan area.
This investment of more than 200 million euro will
significantly increase production capacities for antigens and vaccines against
highly contagious diseases, providing the means to fight animal epidemics that
often have dramatic health and financial consequences, such as foot-and-mouth
disease and bluetongue disease.
"France's highly favorable health situation is
widely recognized internationally, as well as its high level of expertise in
the veterinary field. However, in a context of global trade and global warming,
vigilance is needed, whether it is foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever
or avian influenza. Strengthening our vaccine production capacities is
therefore a major strategic challenge at national, European and global
level," said Minister of Agriculture and Food Didier Guillaume during his
remarks at the event.
This high-security, 15,000 m2 building will begin
operating during the third quarter of 2022. Its five floors will be home to 35
cell and virus culture tanks, a purification area, a decontamination station
and a strategic active ingredient reserve. This antigen bank will enable the
company to quickly and efficiently respond to government orders in case of an epizootic
outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or bluetongue disease. With this new site,
the company is creating more than 100 skilled jobs.
"In the future, we will be able to supply millions
of doses in a few days from Lyon for ring vaccination in affected areas to stop
the progression of the disease. This is a major challenge given the impact of
epidemics in the animal population," explains Erick Lelouche, president of
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health France.
VPH is one of Boehringer Ingelheim's development
priorities, and the company is a leader in this market segment, particularly
for foot-and-mouth disease, rabies and bluetongue disease. For more than 70
years, Boehringer Ingelheim has been a trusted partner of governments, public
health authorities and NGOs.
With this investment, the Lyon metropolitan area will
strengthen its enviable position in the heart of the European 'vaccine valley'.
A global reference hub for life sciences, the Lyon region has become the nerve
center for Boehringer Ingelheim in France. The group already employs more than
1,500 people at five sites, including Lyon Porte-des-Alpes in Saint-Priest,
where vaccine formulation and packaging processes will be completed for
vaccines produced in Jonage.
Key figures for the Jonage site:
• 35 tanks
• 23 km of piping
• 13,000 m3 of cement
• 400 people on the work site
• 600,000 hours of work for construction and commissioning
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Business Unit
Boehringer Ingelheim is the second largest animal health
business in the world, with net sales of almost 4 billion euros in 2018 and
presence in more than 150 markets.
Across the globe, our 10,000 employees create the future
of animal wellbeing through their daily work. We believe in prevention over
treatment and therefore, we focus on developing innovative solutions in the
field of vaccines, parasiticides and therapeutics. With a large portfolio of
advanced, preventive healthcare products, tools and services, we support our
customers in taking care of the health of their animals.
For more information visit:
www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/animal-health.