Roche Pharmaceuticals launches $282 million biologics plant in Shanghai

(ECNS) -- Swiss biotech giant Roche Pharmaceuticals launched a new biopharmaceutical production base in Pudong, Shanghai, on Thursday.

The project involves an investment of 2.04 billion yuan (about $282.34 million), with the initial phase focused on localizing the production of medication for treating ocular fundus disease, aiming to accelerate access to high-quality medicines for Chinese patients.

The newly launched project marks Roche Pharmaceuticals' second innovative drug manufacturing facility in China. Covering about 53 mu (about 3.5 hectares) with a building area of around 25,000 square meters, the plant will be used in the local production of Vabysmo.

Vabysmo is the world's first approved bispecific antibody drug for ophthalmology and has been included in China's national medical insurance system, offering an innovative treatment solution for patients with ocular fundus diseases.

Roche Pharmaceuticals stated that once complete, the new facility would operate in coordination with the company's existing production base at its Chinese headquarter of Shanghai, further strengthening its supply chain and localized manufacturing footprint.

The biopharmaceutical industry is one of Shanghai's three major pioneering sectors. According to official data, the scale of Pudong's biopharmaceutical industry reached 410 billion yuan in 2024.

(By Gong Weiwei)