Sanofi inaugurates Toronto facility that will produce seasonal flu vaccines for Canadians

Sanofi inaugurates Toronto facility that will produce seasonal flu vaccines for Canadians CHRIS HANNAY PUBLISHED 37 MINUTES AGO Open this photo in gallery: Sanofi executive Kate Winchester, shown in Toronto on Wednesday, said the site will focus on producing vaccines for the domestic market, but it will have capacity to supply other global markets if needed. ARLYN MCADOREY/THE CANADIAN PRESS COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. French pharmaceutical maker Sanofi SA says its Toronto facility will soon be ready to start producing seasonal flu vaccines for Canadian patients, a project that started during the height of the pandemic and is now opening during another surge in interest in domestic drug manufacturing. The shots will be produced at the Charles Best Building, which was officially inaugurated Wednesday at a news conference with company representatives and federal, provincial and municipal politicians, including federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The facility, which broke ground in 2021, was built thanks to a $925-million investment, which included $415-million from the federal government and $55-million from the province. Sanofi plans to begin manufacturing the Fluzone High-Dose influenza vaccine for seniors in Canada starting early in 2027, with doses ready to begin shipping around next August, in advance of the 2027-28 flu season. The facility is also designed to provide new capacity for vaccine production in the event of another pandemic. Ms. Joly said the COVID-19 pandemic exposed key vulnerabilities in the domestic supply chain, including production of vaccines and medical supplies. Open this photo in gallery: Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and Ontario Premier Doug Ford attend Wednesday's press conference at the Sanofi facility. ARLYN MCADOREY/THE CANADIAN PRESS More recently, the pharmaceutical sector in Canada and other countries has come under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. The Trump administration has put pressure on drug companies to move their manufacturing to the United States and raise prices in other jurisdictions. Ms. Joly said the recent “weaponization of trade” has shown the continued importance of investing in local production, such as the Sanofi plant. “We know very much that life sciences is a sector that is being targeted in the context of trade negotiations,…