Biopharmaceutical giant Amgen has opened its new US$300m facility in Dun Laoghaire, following a five-year revamp job of the old Pfizer building.
The development included the construction of an 11,500sqm production plant and a 5,800sqm cold chain warehouse – there was also significant refurbishment on buildings that already existed onsite, with total employment numbers there at 340.
“Amgen’s innovative medicines have helped millions of patients around the world and our new facility will enable us to serve many more patients with grievous illnesses,” said Kerry Ingalls, Amgen’s VP.
Additionally, the new syringe-filling facility adds to the capabilities that already exist at the site and positions the Dublin plant as a key location within Amgen’s global organisation.
“We expect to continue to introduce further new products and the site will play an important role in helping Amgen deliver for every patient, every time. We are very positive about the future.”
Amgen was announced as a headline sponsor of CareerZoo 10, which takes place at the Convention Centre Dublin on September 12. Amgen will sponsor the BioCluster Zone at the event, where leaders of the life sciences sector will be actively hiring.
Amgen’s announcement is just the latest boon to an expanding industry, with numerous pharma and life science businesses announcing new jobs this year.
Back in January, a major €85m fund was set up to get more businesses entering the life sciences field, with ICON subsequently setting up a new global innovation hub in Ireland, bringing 200 jobs to the country.
In March, Life Scientific got significant funding from InVivo for its R&D in UCD, with MSD announcing further investment into its Carlow facilities.
Then, during the summer, things really kicked off. Mallinckrodt opened a new biopharmaceutical site in Dublin, before GSK and DePuy announced new jobs across Sligo and Cork.
Chromatography and Parexel each expanded in Dublin, with Amneal’s huge 300-job Tipperary announcement eclipsing even Johnson & Johnson’s (200) in Limerick.
Main image via Shutterstock
