Tyler Patchen
News Reporter https://endpts.com/

In June, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund established Lifera, a contract developer and manufacturer in the pharmaceutical field, and now the company has secured a major client.

On Wednesday, Lifera and the Saudi-based vaccine manufacturer Arab Pharmaceutical Company, or Arabio, signed a memorandum of understanding with Sanofi to boost the local vaccine production within Saudi Arabia.

Under the terms of the agreement, all three companies will search for opportunities to collaborate to form a localization strategy for developing and producing vaccines.
This will include Lifera acting as a contract manufacturer to Sanofi and leveraging Arabio’s distribution experience as well. According to the release, the French pharma will plan to manufacture seven vaccines that are part of the “mandatory immunization schedule” with the intention of making these vaccines more readily available in Saudi Arabia and to potentially export as well.

However, the specific vaccines that will be made were not disclosed. Endpoints News did reach out to the PIF and to Sanofi for more information but has received no response.

“By collaborating with Sanofi, an innovative global healthcare leader, Lifera is facilitating the transfer of world-class technology and expertise to Saudi Arabia and most importantly, bringing the highest-quality vaccines to Saudi citizens, enhancing national resilience and self-sufficiency,” Lifera’s chairman of the board Ibrahim Aljufalli said in a release.

Aljufalli also said that Lifera is committed to building “manufacturing capacity” with international partners at the “right scale” to serve both the local Saudi and international markets. But no details were immediately available about where or when it will build its manufacturing apparatus.

Saudi Arabia looks to boost biopharma interest with new contract manufacturer
While Saudi Arabia’s public wealth fund has been focused on investing and working in numerous business sectors, last month the PIF established Lifera to boost Saudi Arabia’s biopharma industry and attempt to make the Persian Gulf nation a “destination” for pharma manufacturing. One of its overarching goals is to partner with companies to localize manufacturing and attract more investment in drug production.