Charles River Laboratories International has announced plans for an €8m expansion of its testing capabilities at its Ballina, Co Mayo site which will create up to 90 new skilled roles over the next three years.
Charles River Laboratories and AstraZeneca have maintained a strategic partnership since 2012.
This provides AstraZeneca with outsourced regulated safety and development support on a range of treatments and vaccines, including testing and facilitating the deployment of the vaccines Vaxzevria for Covid-19 and Fluenz for seasonal infleunza.
The expansion project is supported by IDA Ireland.
The Ballina facility was first established in 1974 and was acquired by Charles River in 2002.
Over the years it has added to its capabilities offering a comprehensive package of GMP services in support of recombinant biologics, vaccines, cell and gene therapies, biosimilars, and medical devices.
Charles River now employs 230 people at two facilities in Ireland.
Its site in Ballina focuses on biologics testing, and a site in Dublin, established in 2017, serves as the EMEA and APAC headquarters for the company's Microbial Solutions division.
Liam McHale, site director for Charles River Ballina, said the company is incredibly proud of the transformational changes it has implemented on site and the role that it has played in supporting the safe and timely rollout of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine.
"Throughout the pandemic, our site remained fully operational while keeping our employees safe and having a positive impact on human health. Our expanded facility will provide us with the increased capacity needed to continue the essential services we provide to our clients," Mr McHale said.
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said he was really pleased that Ballina will play such an important role in the production of Covid-19 vaccines, which have saved millions of lives around the world.
"Ireland is globally recognised as a hub for the Life Sciences sector and this news is a real vote of confidence in us and our capacity," Mr Varadkar said.
IDA Ireland Executive Director Mary Buckley said that Charles River is an employer of long-standing in Co Mayo.
"The enhancement of its product lines and the development of additional capability at the Ballina facility is most welcome," Mary Buckley said.
"Today's announcement is strongly aligned to IDA Ireland's Regional pillar and its continued commitment to winning jobs and investment in regional locations," she added.
