The FOYA program each year recognizes state-of-the-art projects utilizing new, innovative technologies to improve the quality of products, reduce the cost of producing high-quality medicines, and demonstrate advances in project delivery.

Sanofi was awarded the Facility of the Future Category Award in April 2020 for its Sanofi Digitally Enabled Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing Facility in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. This fully integrated bioprocessing facility takes the application of disposable process technology and flexible facility design to a new level. Using the best of already proven technology and design, they have expanded the use to allow design and construction of a facility that enables continuous upstream and downstream processing, said ISPE.

Sanofi has achieved a facility with higher capacity in a smaller footprint than traditionally achievable. This has provided the basis for:

• 80 times more production capacity than traditionally achieved, leading to potentially reaching more patients
• More than 90% reduction in chemical usage per year
• More than 90% reduction in water usage per year
• 80% reduction in energy consumption and CO₂ emissions per year
• More than 320 t/y of waste saved from landfills

From the early design phases Sanofi was dedicated to incorporating a full set of lean operations principles into the design. According to ISPE, they have broken new ground in digital integration. The entire facility is run using a comprehensive suite of digital solutions.