Wyeth Pharmaceuticals today formally opened its new biotechnology production facility at Grange Castle in Co Dublin, which will employ over 1,000 people. Wyeth already has plants in Sligo, Newbridge, and Askeaton and the new jobs will bring its Irish workforce to over 3,000.
The new 1.2 million square foot campus is one of the largest integrated biotech manufacturing facilities in the world and is expected to produce some of the company's most innovative products. The company invested $1.8 billion in the development of the plant.
The campus comprises three separate facilities - a drug development unit, a drug substance site and a drug product facility. These facilities will go into production on a phases basis over the next four years. The new plant is scheduled to make rheumatoid arthritis drug Enbrel, as well as a new vaccine Prevenar and a new antibiotic Tygacil.
The company has been in Ireland for the last 30 years and is the largest employer in the pharmaceutical sector here. Its products include Zoton for acid related disorders, depression drug Efexor and Enbrel for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
'We expect to continue to invest in this new state of the art facility and to make Grange Castle one of our key biotech development, production and distribution efforts in the coming years,' commented Wyeth President Bernard Pousoutt.
* Enterprise, Trade & Employment Minister Micheal Martin has opened a 50,000 square feet factory developed by car tools maker Autolaunch in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow.
Autolaunch was set up by brothers Ed and Michael Hickey, backed by Enterprise Ireland, in 2003 and was later bought by Canadian company Magna. It currently employs 75 people, but this number is expected to rise to 185 over five years.
