AsianScientist (Jul. 26, 2023)–Avantor, Inc., a global provider of biopharmaceutical, tech and applied materials products and services, has expanded its distribution operations in Singapore. Avantor revealed a new state-of-the-art manufacturing and warehouse facility on July 11. The Singapore Manufacturing and Distribution Hub (SMDH) aims to serve the needs of customers across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) and strengthen the region’s supply chain.
More than three decades since its introduction in 1982, the biopharmaceutical industry has continued to draw global demand, with its global market value expected to reach USD 704 billion in 2028. With the ability to target specific molecules, biopharmaceuticals drastically reduce the side effects of treatment, increase treatment effectiveness and hold great potential for personalization in medicine.
However, biopharmaceutical products are not easy to manufacture or store. Biopharmaceuticals are inherently complex and demand close attention to be paid to quality control processes to ensure their safety, quality, effectiveness and batch-to-batch consistency. Complementary analytical tests must be done every step of the way: from the quality of raw materials, packaging and storage to the finished product itself.
To cater to the region’s need for high-quality manufacturing, Avantor has expanded its Distribution Hub and integrated a new current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) manufacturing facility, a world-class Quality Control Laboratory and expanded storage capabilities.
The facility includes new cGMP suites, batch-to-batch traceability, strengthened quality testing, a cGMP and an ISO 9001 certified warehouse. Such expansive capabilities set Avantor up to be the one-stop shop for all AMEA’s biopharma needs. The Hub is expected to offer regional customers expanded capability, shorter lead times, supply chain resiliency and strict quality control.
In the wake of COVID-19 and through the rise of personalized medicine, demand for drug discovery and development continues to climb in the region. With the new SMDH, Avantor can enable quicker turnaround time and expedite customers’ access to raw materials that are essential in drug discovery—all while upholding stringent quality standards.
To be able to distribute across the AMEA region, ingredients must pass through numerous regulatory bodies—a complex process due to AMEA’s diverse populations and varying needs. To cater to these diverse needs, the hub’s new quality control laboratory can perform excipient raw material and finished goods testing to various country and regional specifications.
Additionally, to effectively fill a gap in AMEA’s biopharma ecosystem, Avantor is highly equipped to evolve with the ever-changing trends and regulations within the industry. With associates present in regulatory bodies of different countries and global health organizations, Avantor is kept up to date with the constant changes and regularly upgrades systems, technologies and capabilities.
For Avantor’s Executive Vice President, AMEA, Christophe Couturier, Singapore is the gateway to customers across Asia and is the region’s central point for business innovation and talent.
“Singapore is an ecosystem that offers world-class innovation infrastructure, generates a strong collaborative spirit and enables competing advancement in manufacturing,” he said.
The biomedical sciences industry contributes to over 12% of Singapore’s manufacturing sector. By improving access to key materials and services across Singapore and the region and enabling localized flexibility and customization, the hub enhances the competitiveness of this crucial manufacturing sector.
“At Avantor, we value the significance of the Asia, Middle East and Africa region, and understand the diverse needs of our customers in different markets. This new hub will serve as an industry benchmark for product quality and regulatory aspects in Singapore, and the broader Asia, Middle East and Africa region,” said Narayana Rao, Avantor Inc. Vice President Biopharma, AMEA.
Find out more about Avantor’s capabilities here.
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Source: Avantor, Inc.
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