GlaxoSmithKline to close Dresden vaccine plant by 2028

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced plans to close its vaccine manufacturing facility in Dresden, Germany, by the summer of 2028. The decision affects approximately 650 employees. The company intends to consolidate the production of influenza vaccines at its site in Ste-Foy, Canada.

GSK cited declining global demand for traditional egg-based influenza vaccines and existing production overcapacity as the primary reasons for the move. The company also noted a strategic shift toward developing innovative mRNA technologies.

The industrial union IGBCE and the local works council have pledged strong resistance to the closure. The union expressed concern that the move results in the loss of highly qualified industrial jobs and critical pharmaceutical production expertise for Germany. According to the IGBCE, the pharmaceutical industry in Saxony has already seen the loss of 4,250 jobs.