Global healthcare business Eli Lilly and Company is to establish a manufacturing facility in Kinsale as part of a €35m (£28.3m) investment. The new operation will be used to create a ‘new wave’ of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The project will apply continuous manufacturing technology to carry out the development and commercialisation of a number of Lilly’s small molecule pipeline products that are currently undergoing late-stage clinical trials. The facility is set to be fully operational by early 2017.
“Pharma is a key sector which we have targeted as part of our jobs plan and winning investments from major world-leading companies like Lilly brings enormous benefits to Ireland,” says minister for jobs, enterprise and innovation Richard Bruton who has met senior Lilly executives in at its US headquarters on several occasions.
“Not only are the direct jobs of huge importance to a town like Kinsale but the heavy investments made by major pharma companies like this create massive knock-on impact on the local economy in the form of extra employment in supply and service companies.”
Dr. John C Lechleiter, chairman, president and chief executive of Eli Lilly and Company explains: “Since our Kinsale site was established 35 years ago it has contributed significantly to the success of our company and has developed a strong reputation for delivery.
“This investment follows a major biotech investment program at Kinsale over the past eight years, which so far has resulted in an investment of €650m and the recruitment of 350 additional employees at the site.”
