Vietnam to Locally Produce Three French-Made Vaccines from 2028

Vietnam is advancing plans to locally produce three types of next-generation vaccines – the 6-in-1 vaccine, flu vaccine, and meningococcal vaccine – in collaboration with French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi. Vietnam Vaccine and Biological Products JSC (VNVC) and Sanofi announced a joint statement on this cooperation on September 10 during the Vietnam-France Business Forum in Paris. The initiative aims for the first production to commence in 2028, positioning Vietnam as the first country in Southeast Asia to domestically produce these advanced vaccines. The plan was reported during the forum attended by Vietnamese President Tô Lâm and French President Emmanuel Macron, where leaders engaged with representatives from key sectors, including health and pharmaceuticals. Ngô Chí Dũng, Chairman and CEO of VNVC, stated that this partnership will enable Vietnam to gradually master the production technology for these next-generation vaccines. The project targets supplying tens of millions of doses annually to the domestic market, with future expansion into Southeast Asia and the global supply chain. Domestic production is expected to stabilize vaccine supply, enhance disease response capabilities, and elevate Vietnam's standing in the biotechnology sector. VNVC is constructing a factory with an investment exceeding VND 2,500 billion (over $100 million USD) on an area of approximately 26,000 square meters, designed for an annual capacity of 120 million doses. The factory is slated for completion in 2027, with Sanofi's next-generation vaccine production starting in 2028 and commercialization from 2029. The facility aims to meet international standards such as WHO-GMP, EU-GMP, and FDA-cGMP. Stephen Alix, International Market Director for Vaccines at Sanofi, expressed a desire to contribute practically to Vietnam's objectives and foster a more modern biotechnology ecosystem in the country. Preventive medicine and biotechnology are prioritized within the new strategic cooperation orientations between Vietnam and France, with this vaccine production partnership expected to elevate bilateral economic relations to a new level. The collaboration was initiated in October 2024. The factory construction project was announced during President Macron's visit to Vietnam in May 2025. Subsequently, at the Vietnam-France Summit on Next-Generation Vaccines in July 2026, a roadmap towards vaccine production in Vietnam from 2028 was unveiled.