SINGAPORE – German biotechnology firm BioNTech, which has suffered large revenue declines in recent quarters, will shut its vaccine and therapeutic drug manufacturing plant in Singapore by February 2027.
Its decision comes after US biopharmaceutical firm MSD said in March that it would shut one of its manufacturing sites in Singapore.
BioNTech told The Straits Times that the decision was made after a “comprehensive review”.
“BioNTech made the strategic decision to close its planned Singapore site by the end of February 2027, as we continue to align capacity with our clinical portfolio and long-term strategic direction,” the company said on March 31.
It currently has 85 employees at the Singapore site.
“We recognise the significant contributions of our employees affected by these changes and are committed to supporting them through this transition,” said BioNTech.
The biomedical sciences ecosystem is a key growth engine of Singapore’s economy. According to the Economic Development Board (EDB), the industry accounted for 1.9 per cent of the Republic’s gross domestic product in 2024, generating an output of over $32 billion. It employs more than 26,000 people.
EDB told ST that it is working closely with BioNTech and MSD, along with Workforce Singapore and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute, to support affected employees, including facilitating job placements.
In 2022, BioNTech acquired a manufacturing facility in Tuas Biomedical Park from Novartis, a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical firm, and announced that the facility would serve as its regional headquarters.
