Bristol Myers Squibb invests over $400m in sterile drug product facility
The new site at Cruiserath in Dublin 15, which will be the company’s first European biologics sterile drug product facility, will support the manufacturing of existing medicines in addition to supporting future drugs.
It is also expected to create over 350 jobs in the area, bringing the total number of employees employed by Bristol Myers Squibb at the campus to over 1,000.
Padraig Keane, vice president at Cruiserath Biologics, said: “This is significant news and a proud day at Cruiserath Biologics as this SDP facility strengthens not only our capabilities on campus, but allows us to be agile and responsive to patient needs across the globe.
“This investment will expand our capacity for aseptic drug products, reinforce stable production for global supply and accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative biologic therapies alongside other pipeline medicines.
“This year we celebrate 60 years of BMS in Ireland, across our three sites in Ireland we continue to play a critical role in the global production, development, and supply network.”
The project is currently in design phase with construction expected to commence in March 2024, now that planning approval has been received, for completion in 2026.
Adding to existing biologic manufacturing operations for bulk drug substance, the investment will significantly expand manufacturing and laboratory capacity as the campus adds new technologies to support sterile drug product manufacturing.
Karin Shanahan, EVP, global product development and supply, who leads the company’s global manufacturing network, including Cruiserath, said that the Cruiserath Biologics site will continue to play a ‘crucial’ role in the company’s success moving forward.
“Coupled with the breadth of knowledge and expertise of our employees, this sterile drug product site, co-partnered alongside our Biologics facility, will allow us to further enhance our operations as we strive to get more medicines to more patients faster,” he commented.
“Our workforce is truly committed to discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases and I’m proud to be a part of this historic day for our Irish footprint.”
In addition, Bristol Myer Squibb’s decision to invest $400 million at its Cruiserath campus, along with 350 new jobs, underscores the ‘strategic importance’ of Ireland in their global operations, Michael Lohan, CEO of Industrial Development Agency, added.
“It is proof of the company’s future commitment to Ireland and a testament to Ireland’s continued attractiveness as a location for biopharma investment,” he said.
