Recipharm selected to operate new fill/finish facility in Morocco

Move is part of US$500 million five-year investment programme by Moroccan government and consortium to establish vaccine and biotherapeutic manufacturing capacity in the country

Swedish CDMO Recipharm will operate a new fill/finish factory in Morocco after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) along with the country's King Mohammad VI, the Morrocan Government and a consortium of Morocco's leading banks.

The facility will be located on a 42-hectare greenfield site near Casablanca airport and will be capable of producing approximately 300 million units once it becomes operational in 2023.

Recipharm said the factory would mirror its new fill finish line at its facility in Monts, France, but "on a larger scale."

"Our expertise and previous experience of fill finish manufacturing mens we're ideally placed to ensure successful tech transfer and high-quality operations," said Recipharm CEO, Marc Funk.

The Moroccan Government and the consortium will invest approximately $500 million over the next five years to establish capacity and capability for the manufacturing of vaccines and biotherapeutics in Morocco.

The investment will also help the African continent gain vaccine sovereignty and access to future biotherapeutics, as Morocco has ambitions to support the continent to become less dependent on western supplies for vaccines — an ambition supported by Recipharm.