BioNTech to build mRNA vaccine manufacturing site in SingaporeBERLIN, May 10 (Reuters) - BioNTech (22UAy.DE) plans to set up a regional centre and a new factory in Singapore for its vaccines, it said on Monday, boosting its presence in Asia as a debate over patents rages and pressure grows on drugmakers to raise output of COVID-19 shots. Governments are looking to build up local vaccine production to secure access to supplies after manufacturing setbacks have slowed the rollout of COVID-19 doses in some countries. The Singapore facility will "address potential pandemic threats" in southeast Asia and will increase BioNTech's global supply capacity of product candidates - also beyond vaccines - based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, BionTech said. MRNA vaccines, like BionTech and Pfizer's (PFE.N) COVID-19 shot, prompt the human body to make a protein that is part of the virus, triggering an immune response. The German biotech company said the Singapore factory will have an estimated annual capacity of se (more...)