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Following a total investment of €20m over the past two years, two new cancer treatments will enter commercial production by the end of 2020.
Takeda Ireland began the expansion of its new oncology production line in Bray, Co Wicklow yesterday (2 December). The facility was first set up in the region in 1997 and today employs more than 340 people. It has invested €20m in the Bray facility over the past two years.
Through the expansion, the site will produce, package and ship two new cancer treatments. This is the Bray facility’s first foray into oncology drugs and commercial production is set to begin at the end of 2020.
Earlier this year, Takeda’s manufacturing facility in Dunboyne, Co Meath was acquired by MSD, bringing MSD’s number of Irish sites to six.
Takeda’s Bray site specialises in granulates, solid oral dosage tablets and final packaged products. It ships products to global markets across the US, Europe, Japan and more.
Global manufacturing and supply officer at Takeda, Thomas Wozniewski, said that oncology is one of the company’s four “core therapeutic areas”. The others are cardiovascular and metabolic, central nervous system and gastrointestinal. The new production line in Bray, Wozniewski added, will facilitate a “more robust and flexible” supply chain.
James Dinniss, plant director at Takeda’s Bray site, has been working at the company for more than 15 years after stints in Unilever and GSK.
Commenting on the newly launched production line, Dinniss said: “Over the past two and half years, the teams have demonstrated their experience, perseverance and flexibility to deliver this complex project on time and budget through many challenges, not least the Covid pandemic.
“We are very excited to start production of these oncology products for patients who currently have limited options for treatments, and we are proud that the products we make will have a significant impact on their life.”
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, TD, welcomed the news. He said: “This announcement follows significant investment in the company’s Bray facility, which underscores Takeda’s commitment to Co Wicklow.”
