Ipsen, the biopharmaceutical company that produces medicines for oncology, rare diseases and neurosciences. has opened its newly upgraded manufacturing site in Blanchardstown following a €52m investment.
CEO David Loew and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar attended the official reopening of the faciliity, which has been upgraded to facilitate the extension and acceleration of production of vital medicines for niche cancers and rare diseases.
The improved site has enabled Ipsen's R&D and manufacturing teams to scale their active pharmaceutical ingredient product by 10% this year.
Ipsen plans a further 15% of capital investment at the Blanchardstown site from 2023-2026 to enhance technology and sustainability as part of its ongoing growth strategy for the Irish market.
Varadkar welcomed the upgrading of the facility and described Ireland as a "world hub for life sciences" that is "well-positioned to attract more jobs in the future.”
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"The Irish market plays an important role as part of Ipsen’s international network and Ipsen is committed to continued investment and innovation in Ireland to support improved care for patients across the therapeutic areas we serve – oncology, rare disease, and neuroscience," said Loew.
"This new investment in Dublin is a milestone in our ongoing journey of innovation and our growing footprint in Ireland. We hope to continue building Ipsen Ireland as an important pharmaceutical manufacturing and development site within Europe.
"Now we welcome the continued efforts of the Irish government to invest in the innovative medicines that will enable Ipsen Ireland to transform even more patients’ lives.”
Ipsen has committed to adding to its 175 employees in Ireland across R&D, manufacturing and commercial operations, having expanded its Blanchardstown workforce by 20% since 2019 and growing its team of chemists and analysts by 10% over the past two years.
Tim Shanahan, general manager and vice president of manufacturing for Ipsen Ireland, commented: ""Our team of 175 employees here in Dublin are committed to producing life-enhancing care for patients with rare and underserved medical conditions. It’s great that continued investment in our Irish site is enabling our dedicated team to manufacture at pace and scale to help even more patients in need – not only here in Ireland but in various markets across the world.”
Ipsen sells medicines in over 100 countries and registered speciality care sales of €2.6bn in 2021. The Paris-listed company operates hubs in China, France, the UK and US, and employs around 5,000 people worldwide.
Photo: (l-r) Tim Shanahan, Leo Varadkar, David Loew, and Frances Fitzgerald.
