Recipharm, has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the fill finish of vaccines and biotherapeutics in Morocco.

Recipharm has signed the MOU, along with His Majesty the King of Morocco, the Moroccan government and a consortium of the country’s leading banks, that will see the company operate a new fill finish factory in Morocco.

Around 500 million USD will be invested by the Moroccan Government and consortium over the next 5 years

As part of the MOU around 500 million USD will be invested by the Moroccan Government and consortium over the next five years to establish both capacity and capability for the manufacturing of vaccines and biotherapeutics in Morocco. The investment is primarily to supply the African continent and help it gain vaccine sovereignty and access to future biotherapeutics.

“The investment is primarily to supply the African continent and help it gain vaccine sovereignty and access to future biotherapeutics.”

The factory, which will be located on a 42 hectare greenfield site is planned to be operational by 2023, will be run by Recipharm and will mirror the company’s new fill finish line at its facility in Monts, France on a larger scale.

“We will be able to work to offer Africa a concrete opportunity to gradually gain health independence from western countries and ultimately help to ensure it is less vulnerable in times of crisis.”

“It’s an honour to act as the CDMO of choice on this project. Together with the other parties involved, we will be able to work to offer Africa a concrete opportunity to gradually gain health independence from western countries and ultimately help to ensure it is less vulnerable in times of crisis,” says Marc Funk, CEO of Recipharm. “Our expertise and previous experience of fill finish manufacturing means we’re ideally placed to ensure successful tech transfer and high-quality operations.”

The facility will create around 100 new jobs and have an annual capacity of about 300 million units, a Recipharm spokesperson said over email to Fierce Pharma.

Photo of Tanger, Morocco: iStock