Vietnam, France sign vaccine technology transfer deal during President Macron’s state visit

The signing ceremony was part of President Macron’s state visit to Vietnam from Sunday through Tuesday at the invitation of President Cuong.

The agreement marks a significant milestone in enhancing Vietnam-France bilateral ties, laying the groundwork for expanded cooperation in healthcare beyond trade and training, and into scientific research, advanced technology transfer, and high-tech vaccine production.

According to the agreement, VNVC and Sanofi will gradually implement the transfer of manufacturing technology for several high-demand vaccines currently supplied by Sanofi in Vietnam.

In addition, Sanofi will support VNVC in training human resources and enhancing quality control in vaccine research and production.

Ngo Chi Dung, chairman and CEO of VNVC, called the partnership an important milestone that will help elevate Vietnam’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities.

"This collaboration allows Vietnam to rapidly adopt world-leading technology, enabling the production of high-quality 'Made in Vietnam' vaccines that meet global standards," he said.

He added that domestic production would ensure stable supply, reduce vaccine costs, and support broader immunization coverage.

"With Sanofi’s global expertise, Vietnam can soon manufacture hundreds of millions of high-quality doses annually for domestic use and export."

As part of the strategic vision to achieve vaccine self-sufficiency, VNVC plans to build a 26,000-square-meter vaccine and biologics plant in Long An Province, southern Vietnam.

With its initial investment of VND2 trillion (US$77 million), the vaccine and biologics plant project will meet the highest Good Manufacturing Practice standards set by the World Health Organization, the European Union, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Sanofi currently supplies Vietnam with tens of millions of doses annually for services at over 220 VNVC centers nationwide.

These include widely used vaccines such as Hexaxim (6-in-1), Tetraxim (4-in-1), Adacel (for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus), Imojev (Japanese encephalitis), Verorab (rabies), Menactra (meningococcal), Avaxim (hepatitis A), Vaxigrip Tetra (influenza), and Typhim VI (typhoid).

The production of these vaccines at the VNVC plant is expected to increase supply and significantly lower costs, making full immunization more accessible and enhancing public health protection for children and adults alike.