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24 Pharmaceutical Technology BIOLOGICS AND STERILE DRUG MANUFACTURING EBOOK 2021 P h a r mTe c h . c o m Manufacturing estimated that up to 80% of the cost of vaccination pro- grams is due to problems associated with maintaining cold-chain, which can translate to around $200–300 million per year (10). Therefore, a thermo-stable vac- cine can not only reduce the overall cost of vaccination programs but also provide greater accessibility to parts of the world with less adequate infrastructure facilities. The need for stable vaccine products Vaccines have helped to successfully eradicate and con- trol a number of diseases including polio and smallpox, and childhood vaccinations are part of global health- care practices. The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to develop vaccines and medica- tions in a short time. In addition to the cutting-edge technologies required to develop a new generation of vaccines and therapeutics, agile and large-scale man- ufacturing capabilities and efficient distribution net- works are required to distribute the medication while maintaining efficacies of the products. The post-COVID-19 era will have a greater focus on manufacturing technologies and facilities with adequate capacities and the readiness to react to a global health emergency in the future. Thermo- stabilization strategies such as aseptic spray drying can help ensure the stability and effectiveness of vaccines, extend shelf life, and reduce the potential for waste of these crucial products. References 1. WHO, Monitoring Vaccine Wastage at Country Level, Report (May 2005). 2. M. Fitzpatrick, "Up to 30 percent of France's Covid Vaccine Doses Could End Up in the Bin," RFI, Jan. 12, 2021. 3. Nova Laboratories, "Stabilisation Technologies," https://m.nova- labs.co.uk, accessed April 22. 2021. 4. G. Kanojia, et. al., European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Bio- pharmaceutics, 129 21–29 (August 2018). 5. B. Roser, Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology (April 2006). 6. S.P. Toniolo, et. al., Sci Rep 10, 13349 (2020). 7. D. A. LeClair, et. al., Int. J. Pharm. 506 (1–2) 289–301 (June 15, 2016). 8. G. Kanoji, et. al., Hum Vaccin Immunother. 13(10) 2364–2378. (Oct. 3, 2017). 9. D. McAdams, D. Chen, and D. Kristensen, Expert Review of Vac- cines, 11 (10) 1211–1219 (Jan. 9, 2014). 10. N. Dumpa, et. al., AAPS PharmSciTech 20(2) 42 (Jan. 4, 2019). PT BioNTech announces Singapore facility BioNTech announced plans to expand its global footprint by establishing its regional headquarters for southeast Asia and a new messenger RNA (mRNA) manufacturing facility in Singapore (1). The facility will accommodate BioNTech's pipeline of mRNA-based product candidates and capabilities for rapid response production for southeast Asia's potential pandemic threats, the company reported. The new facility, which is set to be operational by 2023, will feature mRNA production capabilities for drug substance, drug product, and fill/finish, and will supply an estimated annual capacity of several hundred million doses of mRNA-based vaccines. "Having multiple nodes in our production network is an important strategic step in building out our global footprint and capabilities. With this planned mRNA production facility, we will increase our overall network capacity and expand our ability to manufacture and deliver our mRNA vaccines and therapies to people around the world," said Ugur Sahin, MD, CEO and co- founder of BioNTech, in a press release. Moderna doubles capacity in Massachusetts Moderna plans to double the space of its Moderna Technology Center in Norwood, Ma., to create an industrial technology center. The expansion will increase the facility's production and lab space from 30,000 ft 2 to 650,000 ft 2 through renovations and the acquisition of an additional 240,000-ft 2 space on the same campus. The increased space will support a 50% increase in production of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine at the manufacturing site (2). In April 2021, the company announced investments at its own and partnered manufacturing facilities to increase 2022 global capacity to up to 3 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, depending upon the mix of authorized and potentially lower-dose booster and pediatric vaccines. "Our manufacturing facility has been core to our long-term strategy and has enabled us to provide the scale and flexibility to support the development of our mRNA [messenger RNA] medicines and vaccines, including our COVID-19 vaccine," said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, in a press release. "We believe that this investment and expansion at our technology center will allow us to continue to optimize our mRNA products as we explore new pharmaceutical delivery forms, such as prefilled syringes and lyophilized products. As we grow, we are committed to minimizing our environmental footprint." References 1. BioNTech, "BioNTech to Establish Regional Headquarters for Southeast Asia and First mRNA Manufacturing Facility in Singapore," Press Release, May 10, 2021. 2. Moderna, "Moderna Announces Expansion of its Manufacturing Technol- ogy Center in Massachusetts," Press Release, May 4, 2021. —The editors of Pharmaceutical Technology mRNA facilities expand to meet demand