Boehringer Ingelheim to expand veterinary vaccine capacity for emerging and transboundary diseases in France

Ingelheim, Germany, October 8, 2021 – Boehringer Ingelheim announced today an additional 100 million EUR investment in its veterinary public health capabilities in Lyon-Jonage, France, to aid governments and public health organizations in managing future emerging and transboundary diseases. Transboundary and emerging diseases are highly contagious and transmissible epidemic diseases of animals. They have the capability for rapid spread to new areas and regions regardless of national borders, with serious socio-economic and public health consequences.

The investment follows an initial 200 million EUR investment in a new veterinary public health (VPH) strategic production center in Lyon, bringing the total investment in the production site to 300 million EUR. The additional investment will enable adaptation of production lines for other emerging diseases, in particular swine and avian vaccines. It also provides for the construction of an administrative and regulatory resource center.

The production site in Lyon is one of the largest bioproduction projects in France, significantly expanding production capacity for antigens and vaccines against certain highly infectious epidemic diseases in animals, such as foot-and-mouth disease and bluetongue disease, and increasing storage capacity for strategic reserves such as antigen banks. 

“Our Animal Health business is positioned to be at the forefront of innovation in protecting animals, and subsequently humans, from transboundary and emerging diseases. This additional investment in our production capabilities will help governments around the world as well as other customers ensure a rapid response to new threats,” explains Jean Scheftsik de Szolnok, Member of the Board of Managing Directors responsible for Animal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Today’s announcement was made during the visit in Lyon of Agnes Pannier-Runacher, the French Minister of State in charge of Industry at the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery. “The announcement made by Boehringer Ingelheim to invest an extra 100 million EUR in the Jonage site is really excellent news, creating around a hundred specialized jobs. It also means that capacity in animal health bioproduction in France is increasing, paving the way for optimized infectious disease preparedness. This is totally aligned with the Government’s current priorities with regards to the health industry in general,” says Agnes Pannier-Runacher.

The Lyon-Jonage vaccine facility is scheduled for completion and start of production in early 2023. It will expand the significant footprint of Boehringer Ingelheim in the Lyon region, with an additional 100 highly-skilled positions.

Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that improve the lives of humans and animals. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term perspective. Around 52,000 employees serve more than 130 markets in the three business areas, Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com