Singapore maintains biomed strength with 60+ plants despite closures

Sector drew $4.4b in 2025 investments, supporting jobs and continued manufacturing expansion.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said Singapore continues to be a major global biomedical sciences manufacturing centre, even as some companies adjust their global production footprint.

In a written parliamentary reply on 7 May, he said Singapore hosts more than 60 biomedical sciences manufacturing plants, including eight of the world’s top 10 biopharmaceutical companies.

He added that the sector attracted $4.4b in investments in 2025, according to the Economic Development Board, with projects expected to create about 1,775 jobs over the next five years.

One example cited was AstraZeneca’s $1.90b (USD1.5b) antibody drug conjugate facility, which is its first end-to-end plant of that type globally.

Gan said recent plant closures reflect individual companies’ commercial decisions and not a weakening of Singapore’s competitiveness.

He also said the government will continue to support manufacturers in upgrading capabilities, including through artificial intelligence and robotics adoption.

Against this backdrop, one termination is BioNTech closing its Singapore and German sites as part of a global restructuring affecting about 1,860 staff, according to a Reuters report.

The company said production of its COVID-19 vaccine will be transferred to partner Pfizer, with the Singapore facility expected to cease operations by early 2027.