Alexion Pharmaceuticals will travel across the ocean to build its first ever biologics manufacturing facility outside the United States. This €450 million, four-year project, will be constructed at the Alexion’s College Park site in Blanchardstown (Ireland) and should create approximately 200 additional full-time jobs. This will bring Alexion’s total workforce in Ireland to almost 500 employees.
The first phase of the College Park facility is expected to be operational by the end of the year. It comprises Global Supply Chain HQ, laboratories, packaging and warehousing operations. The company has worked closely with the Department of Jobs and IDA Ireland on the development of its operations in the country.
The new facility’s personnel will support the production and distribution of Alexion’s medicine, Soliris, as well as its strong pipeline of biologics medicines. Soliris, approved for the treatment of two ultra-rare diseases (atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria) is also well-known for being the world’s most expensive drug.
This is one of the largest investments in healthcare in the history of the Irish state. Since first entering Ireland in 2013, Alexion has invested €130M in two facilities: a vial fill-finish facility in Athlone(€55M) and a Global Supply Chain facility at College Park (€75M).
The great investment comes just after the acquisition of US botox-maker Allergan by Dublin-based Actavis, listing the Irish company into the world’s top ten of drug maker.