On November 9, Hilleman Laboratories inaugurated a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Singapore, marking a significant step toward bolstering the nation’s pandemic preparedness. This S$27 million plant, located in Depot Road, is designed to develop affordable vaccines for common diseases while maintaining the flexibility to pivot production for new vaccines during emergencies.

The new 30,000 sq ft facility, named Aces, is part of a broader five-year investment of S$80 million by Hilleman Laboratories, which also includes an R&D laboratory in Biopolis. The facility aims to facilitate the early clinical development of vaccines and works in conjunction with its R&D unit to produce biopharmaceutical products from concept to manufacturing. These products are not only intended for Singapore but also for low- and middle-income countries.

Hilleman Laboratories is a joint venture between American pharmaceutical giant MSD and the British charitable organization Wellcome Trust. One of the notable research projects being undertaken involves collaboration with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research to explore circular ribonucleic acid (circRNA) vaccine technology. This innovative approach offers potential advantages, such as adaptability to evolving virus strains and stability at standard refrigerator temperatures.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, during the launch of the Aces facility, emphasized the significance of Hilleman Laboratories in enhancing Singapore’s pandemic preparedness. He highlighted that the facility is built according to current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) and will serve as a hub for vaccine and biologics development—an unprecedented establishment in Singapore and potentially in the region.

Hilleman Laboratories’ CEO, Raman Rao, stated that the opening of this facility represents a milestone in their commitment to advancing global public health. The company aims to leverage its expertise in vaccine and biologics manufacturing to develop local capabilities and strengthen Singapore’s resilience against disease outbreaks, particularly those with the potential to escalate into pandemics.

The facility will produce vaccines for various prevalent infections, including dengue, rotavirus, cholera, pneumococcal, and meningococcal diseases. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore has seen a remarkable transformation, evolving from having no vaccine manufacturing facilities to establishing five within just two years.

In addition to Hilleman Laboratories, prominent vaccine manufacturers such as MSD, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sanofi, and BioNTech have also set up operations in Singapore. Recently, Flagship Pioneering, known for backing Moderna, announced its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region with a new hub in Singapore, reflecting the growing importance of the city-state as a biopharmaceutical center.

The cumulative efforts of these companies are set to produce over a billion vaccine doses annually, encompassing traditional and advanced mRNA vaccines. Minister Ong highlighted that the biopharmaceutical and medical technology sectors in Singapore generated more than S$34 billion in products for global markets in 2021, contributing to 3.1 percent of the country’s GDP and employing around 25,000 people, doubling the employment figures since the early 2000s.