AstraZeneca is establishing an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API), manufacturing facility for small molecules near Dublin, Ireland at an investment of US $ 360 million.

The facility will be set up at the Alexion Campus in College Park, Dublin.

The new plant will allow for late-stage development and early commercial supply, adopting state of the art process technology and digital innovation that is designed to meet the needs of the company’s new medicines pipeline with speed and agility. 

Pascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca, said: “This is a tremendously proud moment for us all at AstraZeneca and I am delighted that we are bringing this very significant investment to Dublin which, with the support of the IDA, will create highly skilled jobs, nurture the country’s dynamic life sciences sector and allow for the development of high value-added medicines.”

Pam Cheng, Executive Vice President, Global Operations and IT, said: “The future manufacturing of APIs for our medicines includes compounds with highly complex synthesis, requiring next-generation technologies and capabilities that can respond quickly and nimbly to rapidly-changing clinical and commercial needs. This significant investment will ensure the AstraZeneca supply network is fit for the future.”

The investment programme is expected to significantly reduce commercialisation lead times, costs and introduce more sustainable manufacturing processes, contributing to the company’s Ambition Zero Carbon programme. The industry-leading, future proof design of the plant will permit the addition of the capability to manufacture a wide range of medicines, including new modalities such as antibody-drug conjugates and oligonucleotides.