The France-based Sanofi Group plans to build a high tech pharmaceutical plant in Vietnam’s southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City, said Thomas Kelly, senior vice president of Sanofi Asia.
Kelly released the information at a meeting with HCM City Chairman Le Hoang Quan Aug 30, proposing the municipal authorities facilitate the project, especially in finding a suitable location.
“Both of Sanofi current drug plants in the city are located in urban areas. We hope the third one will be built on a 6-ha site in an industrial park with larger capacity than such two existing plants,” said Kelly.
In addition, the high tech medicines will be sold not only in the Vietnam market but also exported to other countries. That explained why Sanofi Vietnam had asked for a change in its investment license. Regarding the firm’s request to change its investment license, Chairman Quan pledged to send his reply prior to Sept 10, after consulting with the city’s departments of Planning and Investment; and Health. Sanofi has been operating in Vietnam for around 50 years with 1,000 employees currently working at its two plants and offices nationwide. The company paid taxes of VND100 billion to the state in 2010. Its offshoot Sanofi – Synthelabo Vietnam is collaborating with the Ministry of Health on a research of vaccine for dengue fever. However, this vaccine can be put into use by 2015-2016, though the Paris-based laboratories are in the final stage of clinical experiment, Kelly added. (thesaigontimes.vn Aug 31, voh.com.vn Aug 30)
