Company to create 100 jobs at former Pfizer plant
A total of 100 high-quality jobs are to be created over the next five years following the announcement that BioMarin Pharmaceutical has acquired Pfizer manufacturing in Shanbally, Co Cork.
BioMarin, which focuses on the treatment of rare diseases, is spending $48.5m (€34.2m) on the 133,000 sq.ft. bulk biologics manufacturing facility, with the support of Government through IDA Ireland.
The company plans to occupy the Shanbally plant in a phased transition with substantial manufacturing activities being tied to results of its ongoing Phase 3 clinical study for N-acetylgalactosamine 6-sulfatase (GALNS) for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (MPS IVA, also known as Morquio A Syndrome).
It is anticipated that the facility will be licensed for GALNS production by 2015.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton welcomed the announcement.
“If we are to get out of the crisis we’re in, one crucial aspect of this will be to build on our traditional strengths as an economy,” said Minister Bruton.
“The pharmaceutical industry has developed into a particular strength of the Irish economy in recent years: most of the world’s leading companies in the field have a presence here and we have developed an industry which plays a global role out of all proportion to the size of our economy.
“However it is crucial that we continue to set and meet ever more ambitious targets in this area. With the right policies success can breed more success, and I am determined that we must build on our strengths in this sector and today’s very welcome announcement to create further jobs and get our country back to work”.
Jean Jacques Bienaimé, CEO of BioMarin stated: “The new plant in Shanbally greatly expands our manufacturing capacity to accommodate our growing commercial portfolio and advancing clinical programs.
“The new facility in Shanbally also diversifies our manufacturing risk and provides us with an attractive business environment. The facility is state-of-the-art, utilizing disposable technology and flexibly designed to run either fed batch or perfusion processes.
“This gives us tremendous latitude for the types of products that can be produced at the plant and allows us to focus efforts on the technical transfer of our next commercial product into the facility.”
