Alexion Pharmaceuticals, a biopharm company focused on serving patients with severe and rare disorders, is expanding its Irish operations, bringing in 200 new jobs upon completion of its €450m facility in Blanchardstown.
The four-year project will be the company’s first-ever biologics manufacturing facility outside the US, bringing its Irish workforce to almost 500.
Since first entering Ireland in 2013, Alexion has invested €130 million in two facilities – a vial fill-finish facility in Athlone and a global supply chain facility at College Park in Blanchardstown, where the new site will neighbour.
Phase 1 of the College Park facility, comprising global supply chain HQ, laboratories, packaging and warehousing operations is expected to be operational by year-end.
“Alexion is pleased to progress the development of our College Park facility with a significant expansion that will now include our first biologics manufacturing facility outside the United States,” said Julie O’Neill, EVP of global operations at the company.
“This project further underscores our commitment to Ireland and is enabled by our ability to recruit highly competent and professional personnel to support the production and distribution of our medicine, Soliris, and our strong pipeline of biologics medicines.
“Alexion has a unique mission to develop life-transforming therapies for patients with severe and life-threatening ultra-rare disorders.
“We are already serving the very few patients in Ireland suffering from two very rare and devastating diseases; with this major expansion, our Irish operations, comprising biologics manufacturing, vial fill-finish and global supply chain, will be at the forefront of this vital work globally.”
“This is one of the largest investments in healthcare in the history of the Irish state,” said Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland.
Pharmaceuticals image, via Shutterstock
