AstraZeneca has announced plans to build a $1.5 billion manufacturing facility in Singapore for antibody drug conjugates (ADCs).
 
The planned greenfield facility, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), will be AstraZeneca’s first end-to-end ADC production site, fully incorporating all steps of the manufacturing process at a commercial scale.
 
Pascal Soriot, CEO, AstraZeneca, said: “AstraZeneca has built an industry-leading portfolio of cancer medicines including antibody drug conjugates which have shown enormous potential to replace traditional chemotherapy for patients across many settings. Singapore is one of the world’s most attractive countries for investment given its reputation for excellence in complex manufacturing, and I am excited for AstraZeneca to locate our $1.5 billion ADC manufacturing facility in the country.”
 
AstraZeneca has a broad portfolio of in-house ADCs including six wholly owned ADCs in the clinic and many more in preclinical development.
 
The company will work with Singapore’s government and other partners on green solutions for the ADC facility, which will be designed to emit zero carbon from its first day of operations.
 
AstraZeneca aims to begin design and construction of the manufacturing facility by the end of 2024, with targeted operational readiness in 2029.
 
This news comes months after AstraZeneca invested $300 million in a facility in Rockville, MD.