AstraZeneca to invest $360 million in Irish manufacturing facility

AstraZeneca have announced that the company is planning on establishing a next-generation active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility for small molecules near Dublin in Ireland. According to the company, the new plant will allow for late-stage development and early commercial supply, adopting state of the art process technology and digital innovation that is designed to meet the needs of their new medicines pipeline with speed and agility. 

The $360 million planned investment at the Alexion Campus in College Park, Dublin, is expected to create about 100 highly skilled direct jobs and provide an important boost to the local economy and to the country’s life-sciences sector. The plan was developed with the support and collaboration of Ireland’s investment agency, IDA Ireland.

“The future manufacturing of APIs for our medicines includes compounds with highly complex synthesis, requiring next generation technologies and capabilities that can respond quickly and nimbly to rapidly-changing clinical and commercial needs,” commented Pam Cheng, Executive Vice President of Global Operations and IT at AstraZeneca. “This significant investment will ensure the AstraZeneca supply network is fit for the future.”

The investment programme is also expected to significantly reduce commercialisation lead times, costs and introduce more sustainable manufacturing processes, thereby contributing to the company’s Ambition Zero Carbon programme. Furthermore, the design of the plant is expected to permit the addition of capability to manufacture a wide range of medicines, including new modalities such as antibody drug conjugates and oligonucleotides. 

“I warmly welcome today’s announcement from AstraZeneca that it is to establish its first ever manufacturing facility in Ireland,” added Micheál Martin, Taoiseach of Ireland. “This $360 million investment represents a significant commitment to Ireland and will see 100 jobs being created. In choosing Ireland as the location for its new next-generation active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facility, AstraZeneca joins the very strong and successful network of global life sciences companies we have in Ireland. I wish them every success with their operations here.”