Growing Industry of Singapore–Biomedical Science  [ Return towards  SOXAL News  ]

The biomedical sciences industry has been Singapore’s fastest growing manufacturing segment over the previous five years, averaging over 23% annual growth over each period. This industry is set to enjoy continued strong growth as leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies continue to establish operations or expand their scope of activities in Singapore. 

Some top global pharmaceutical companies that have recently made Singapore their base for manufacturing are Abbott, Lonza, and Novartis, all of which operate multi-purpose plants with the capability to manufacture a broad range of drugs, biologics, and nutritionals.

Singapore’s primary appeal as a manufacturing base for companies such as Abbott, Lonza, and Novartis rest in its strong physical and regulatory infrastructure, its ease of global connectivity, and its skilled and available manpower base. SOXAL, with its vast experience in offering customised solutions to the pharmaceutical sector, its strong technical know-how, and support from its parent, Air Liquide and competent workforce, epitomises these characteristics and subsequently has been awarded contracts to supply all three pharmaceutical companies.

Novartis

Novartis is a world leader in providing medicines to protect health, prevent and treat disease, and to improve well-being. Novartis is also the only company with leadership positions in patented and generic pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and over-the-counter medicines.

In December 2006, SOXAL was awarded the contract to supply the Novartis production plant with their requirements of liquid nitrogen, helium, gas equipment, and pipeline supply of these gases. A 28,000 litres liquid nitrogen storage with the corresponding manifold engineering solutions has been installed, with production expected to commence in Q1 2008. Furthermore, SOXAL will also be supporting Novartis with their special gas requirements.  

Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Pte Ltd

Abbott is a global, broad-based healthcare company devoted to the discovery of new medicines, new medical technologies, and new methods of healthcare management. Their innovations span the continuum of the healthcare market, from nutritional products through medical devices and on into pharmaceutical therapies. Abbott’s comprehensive product lineup encompasses the healthcare needs of individuals from infancy through the golden years.

Abbott is currently developing a nutritional powder manufacturing plant in Singapore which will produce over 45 million kg of powder nutritional products a year, including hallmark Abbott brands such as Similac Advance® infant formula, Gain® growing-up milk for older babies and toddlers, Pediasure®, and Grow®. This plant is Abbot’s first major capital investment in Asia and is worth S$450 million. 

To support their gas requirements, Abbott has contracted with SOXAL to install and commission a 50,000-litre liquid nitrogen storage in January 2008.  

Lonza Biologics

Lonza Group, a Swiss chemical and biotechnology company, is widely recognised to be one of the leaders globally in the contract manufacturing of chemicals and biomolecules. In February 2006, Lonza Group embarked upon a joint venture with Singapore’s Bio*One Capital, Economic Development Board (EDB) investment arm for biomedical sciences, known as Lonza Biologics, to manufacture and supply commercial custom biopharmaceuticals for growing Asian markets. This plant is Singapore’s first commercial-scale biologics manufacturing facility and is also Lonza’s first biologics investment in Singapore, with a worth US$250 million. This plant will be located in Tuas Biomedical Park and will include up to four mammalian bioreactor trains, which have a capacity ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 litres.

SOXAL was awarded the contract for the first of four phases of this facility. This demonstrates SOXAL’s ability to offer a diversified yet customised service and product offering. SOXAL will be supporting Lonza with their liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, liquid carbon dioxide, and purified helium in pallets requirements.

Yet another milestone has also been achieved with the Lonza project with the first cryobiological solutions project for SOXAL in Singapore (Information inset). In this project, SOXAL will provide the vacuum line and cryogenic storage for the cells. Installation is expected to commence in Q2 2008 with the plant scheduled to start production by Q4 2009.

Total Cryobiological Solutions was created to provide a hassle-free and self-sustaining solution to Bio-processing and storage facilities to assist in areas such as controlling and monitoring critical process parameters, managing samples and tracing sample during each stage of process. Besides being able to provide high quality equipment such as Cryo-storage tanks, Air Liquide has developed a single automation and information platform – CryoSMART, to manage daily operations and to allow operators to fully concentrate on their work.