ChinaBio Today -- Life science in China continued its evolutionary progress last week, an advance marked by individual corporate developments. Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) announced the largest financial commitment of the week: a 600 million RMB ($90 million) investment that will expand its Beijing manufacturing facility (see story). The new facility will produce the company’s insulin drug, Lantus®. Lantus is a pre-filled injection, delivered via the SoloSTAR® pen device, which provides once-daily insulin to people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The goal is a commitment to China in more ways than one: the China manufactured product will serve China’s increasingly recognized population of diabetes patients. Sanofi-Aventis is not simply seeking a lower production cost worldwide use. The new facility is located alongside Sanofi-Aventis’ existing manufacturing plant in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area.
