GSK has announced it is investing over £270m to build a new vaccine manufacturing facility at its Wavre campus in Belgium.
The investment follows the launch of the company’s new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, Arexvy.
Designed to increase the efficiency of manufacturing processes and reduce environmental impact, the new unit will handle freeze-dried vaccines, including Arexvy, as well as the company’s fast-growing shingles vaccine, Shingrix, and its malaria vaccine, Mosquirix.
The plant will contain two wings: one for producing the UK company’s ‘non-live’ vaccines, and the other for making ‘live’ vaccines, which include Varilrix for chickenpox and Priorix for measles.
A spokesperson from GSK said: “The ambition is to have tens of millions of doses lyophilized each year.”
“The new centre will feature several cutting-edge technological innovations designed to increase the efficiency of manufacturing processes and reduce environmental impact,” the spokesperson added.
In May, Arexvy became the first RSV vaccine for older adults to be approved anywhere in the world after it secured approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults aged 60 years and older.
A similar vaccine from Pfizer, also for adults aged 60 years and older, was approved in the US a few weeks later.
GSK’s RSV vaccine has also been approved by the European Commission for use in older adults. Pfizer’s received approval from the EU regulator last month to protect both infants and older adults.
Arexvy is currently available in major US retail pharmacies and will compete against Pfizer’s Abrysvo in older adults beginning this RSV season, this autumn.
Belgium has become a key location for manufacturing facilities for vaccines, which also hosts GSK’s other two vaccine sites in Rixensart and Gembloux, as well as Pfizer’s site in Puurs.
The new facility is expected to be operational in 2027.
Recently, GSK has made a $254m vaccine production investment in Singapore. The drug substance facility will be used to produce the hepatitis B shot, Engerix-B and will also start commercial production in 2027.