Alexion buys Irish vialling facility to support Soliris manufacture
The firm announced it was buying the facility during an investor call to discuss its end of year results last week (transcript here), with CEO Leonard Bell telling stakeholders “this will become Alexion's first company-owned vialing facility for Soliris and our other clinical and commercial products.”
The facility in Athlone, County Roscommon, used to belong to Elan Drug technologies but was acquired by Alkermes during the 2011 merger, and has lied dormant since.
The purchase – expected to be completed during the first quarter 2014 – was deemed “an important milestone” in expanding technical operations and opening Alexion’s global supply chain by Bell, during the call, a sentiment reiterated by EVP Stephen Squinto in a press release issued by Irish development group IDA.
“The acquisition of the Athlone facility is a sign of our commitment to growing our newly established global supply chain operation in Ireland,” he said, adding “this facility will help us to provide life-transforming medicines to patients in Europe and around the world.”
Biopharma-Reporter.com attempted to contact Alexion by phone and email for further information but did not receive any comment at the time of going to press.
