LIFERA, SANOFI and ARABIO Sign MOU to Manufacture and Supply Vaccines in Saudi Arabia, Boosting Local Production with a New State-Of-The-Art Manufacturing Facility

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• Lifera, a biopharmaceutical company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) is partnering with Sanofi and Arabio to increase the local production of vaccines - increasing access to world class preventative medicines for Saudi citizens and residents and growing the local biopharmaceutical industry.
• Sanofi to share its renowned biotechnological expertise and know-how to initially manufacture seven vaccines which are part of the mandatory immunization schedule to increase their accessibility to the local community and to potentially target the regional export market.
• Arabio, majority owned by Tamer Group to leverage their decades-long experience with Sanofi and other leading global pharmaceutical companies to supply leading vaccines and other biopharmaceutical products to the Saudi market.
• This partnership aims to reinforce Saudi Arabia's position as a life sciences hub, supporting Vision 2030 goals and driving self-sufficiency in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, July 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifera, a biopharmaceutical company in Saudi Arabia together with Sanofi, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies specializing in vaccine development and Arabio today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which aims to strengthen local manufacturing of vaccines in Saudi Arabia.

Under the terms of the MOU, Lifera, Sanofi and Arabio will explore opportunities for collaboration to help advance Saudi Arabia's vaccines localization strategy through a range of proposed initiatives that include Lifera being a contract manufacturer to Sanofi, through state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and capabilities, as well as leveraging Arabio and Tamer Group's, local and regional distribution strength in vaccines and other key pharmaceutical products.

Dr. Ibrahim Aljufalli
Chairman of the Lifera Board, said:
"As a newly established biopharmaceutical company, we are committed to working with global and local partners to achieve our mission – and this MOU is a testament to that commitment. By collaborating with Sanofi, an innovative global healthcare leader, Lifera is facilitating the transfer of world-class technology and expertise to Saudi Arabia and most importantly, bringing the highest-quality vaccines to Saudi citizens, enhancing national resilience and self-sufficiency. Lifera is committed to building manufacturing capacity to cGMP standards with international partners, and at the right scale to serve Saudi and global markets."

The MOU reflects Lifera's strategic mission to increase national resilience and grow the biopharma sector by enabling technology transfer, the creation of a skilled biopharmaceutical workforce and advancing Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

Faisal Tamer 
Chairman of Arabio and Vice-Chairman of Tamer Group
"Our vaccine localization effort at Arabio is approaching a critical milestone. We are thrilled to announce our partnership with "Lifera", joining hands in pharmaceutical localization efforts. Since the inception of Arabio, our aspiration has been to contribute to Saudi Arabia's efforts to prevent diseases and ensure biosecurity. Arabio and the Tamer Group are focused on supplying consumers in Saudi Arabia with healthcare products of the highest quality together with a broad network of leading global partner companies. We believe this potential partnership is just the beginning of the development of the Saudi biopharmaceutical sector and will create several new opportunities for talent to grow in this vital sector."

Tamer Group, the main shareholder in Arabio, is an integrated healthcare and wellness Group in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region offering a portfolio of products and services that contribute to personal wellness and public health.

Fokion Sinis 
Vaccines General Manager for Sanofi Greater Gulf
"As one of the leading global vaccines manufacturers and as a strategic partner to Saudi Arabia and an enabler of Vision 2030, Sanofi is committed to increasing vaccine accessibility and supporting Saudi Arabia's goal to reduce its reliance on pharmaceutical imports. This MOU further builds on this commitment, enabling us to share our global expertise and contribute to advancing the public health agenda and industrial sector development of the country, ultimately benefitting patients and communities in Saudi Arabia."

Sanofi has been a leader in vaccines for over 100 years. Every year, over half a billion people are vaccinated with Sanofi's vaccines worldwide, including more than 10 million in the Gulf region. In 2022, Sanofi distributed more than six million doses of its quadrivalent influenza vaccine in the region, making it the No. 1 pediatric, meningitis and influenza vaccine supplier across the Gulf.  Globally through its research and development efforts, Sanofi aims to bring 10 new vaccine candidates into clinical trials by 2025.

About Lifera 
Lifera is a new biopharmaceutical company dedicated to advancing Saudi Arabia's biopharmaceutical sector and building national health resilience. By developing local manufacturing capacity for vaccines, insulin, plasma therapeutics and other biologics, as well as investing in genetic testing and precision medicine, Lifera aims to ensure people in Saudi Arabia have access to reliable and affordable medicines. 

Lifera will do this through partnerships and investments with leading international and Saudi companies to transfer global expertise and technology to Saudi Arabia. Wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund ("PIF"), Lifera's differentiated vision and mission make it an ideal partner to build the biopharmaceutical sector in Saudi Arabia.
For more information visit www.lifera.com.sa

About Sanofi 
Sanofi is an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives. Our team, across some 100 countries, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the center of our ambitions. www.sanofi.com 

About Arabio 
Arab Pharmaceutical Company ("Arabio") is one of the first biopharmaceutical companies in the region, specialized in human vaccines, and other biopharmaceutical cold chain products. It was established in 2005 and is headquartered in Riyadh, with a manufacturing facility in the heart of Makkah and sales offices in multiple cities across the region. Arabio has formed partnerships with global and regional biopharmaceutical companies, with an aim to provide equitable access to vaccines for citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia, Middle East and North Africa and is for many years the market leader by supplying 10 vaccines which are part of the mandatory vaccination schedule in the Kingdom. Arabio is almost fully owned by Saudi shareholders, namely Tamer Group as majority shareholder and Khaled Juffali company. www.tamergroup.com / www.kjuffali.com 

SOURCE Lifera