ASTRAZENECA HAS ANNOUNCED plans to build an advanced manufacturing facility in Blanchardstown, Dublin, creating up to 100 jobs.

At a cost of €306 million ($360 million), the biopharmaceutical company behind the Covid-19 vaccine will establish a next-generation active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility for small molecules at the Alexion Campus in College Park.

The British-Swedish pharmaceutical outfit said the new plant will “transform the development and commercialisation of new medicines” and create about 100 highly skilled jobs in science and engineering.

“In choosing Ireland as the location for its new next-generation active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facility, AstraZeneca joins the very strong and successful network of global life sciences companies we have in Ireland. I wish them every success with their operations here,” Taoiseach Micheál Martin said.

Great news that @AstraZeneca is to establish its first ever manufacturing facility in Ireland, creating 100 highly-skilled jobs.

The $360m investment in Dublin is a huge boost to the area, and to the entire country’s life-sciences sector.@IDAIRELAND

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) September 21, 2021

AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said he was “tremendously proud”, adding that the investment will “nurture the country’s dynamic life sciences sector and allow for the development of high value-added medicines”.

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AstraZeneca said the new plant will significantly reduce commercialisation lead times, costs and introduce more sustainable manufacturing processes. It said the 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.

Pam Cheng, executive vice president, explained: “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.”