Tánaiste announces major Biopharmaceutical Investment for Ireland

Centocor investment in new Cork facility to create 330 jobs

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Harney TD, announced today (Tuesday 27 July 2004) that Centocor, Inc. a global leader in biopharmaceuticals, has decided to invest in a major manufacturing facility at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork. The Tánaiste confirmed that the Government has agreed IDA Ireland support for the proposal subject to EU approval. The project, regarded as a key, strategic biopharmaceutical investment, will employ an estimated 330 people over 5 years.

Centocor Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, plans to construct a new Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at the 100 acre IDA site at Barnahely, Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. The facility will incorporate fermentation and purification processes and will have a Process Development Centre to facilitate the transfer of technology and provide for the development of new production processes for products coming through clinical trial stages.

Making the announcement in Cork today the Tanaiste said: “This investment has major implications for Ireland and, particularly, its value to Ireland’s reputation as an attractive, inward investment location cannot be overstated. This is a major achievement for IDA Ireland and can only be described as a major coup for the country. I am proud to say that, once again, against intense competition, Ireland has been selected by one of the most successful pharmaceutical companies in the world for such a major investment.”

The Tánaiste added: “It is projected that 60% of employees in the new facility will have a science or relevant discipline degree and an additional 10% will hold masters or PhD qualifications. This is entirely in keeping with the Government’s policy of attracting high skill, high value activity to Ireland.”

The Tánaiste continued: “Centocor’s investment will be pivotal to Ireland’s quest to be the number one location of choice worldwide for major biopharmaceutical activity. The Government’s vision and IDA Ireland’s commitment to promote the country as a knowledge economy along with the agency’s long-term strategy to ensure that we are ready for the next phase of inward investment has resulted in this substantial breakthrough and has succeeded in achieving a long-term goal,” she said.

“Ireland has already achieved major success in the pharmaceutical industry with significant critical mass in this area. The importance of biopharmaceuticals is recognised as a key growth sector going forward and this key investment ensures that Ireland is in a position to build on its reputation as a location of choice for further significant biopharmaceutical investment” the Tánaiste said.

This investment will ensure that Centocor, already a world-leading biopharmaceutical corporation, remains at the leading edge of the biopharmaceutical industry which is growing at approximately 15% per annum. The biopharmaceutical manufacturing unit at Barnahely, Ringaskiddy will produce monoclonal antibody products for the detection and treatment of many human diseases and the facility will also be used to produce material for clinical trials.

At the announcement, Mr Robert J. Sheroff, President, Global Biologics Supply Chain said that the plant will help to support Centocor as it builds upon its position as one of the largest biopharmaceutical companies in the world.

He said that demand for the development and manufacture of biopharmaceutical solutions to treat illnesses and conditions was set to accelerate at a rapid pace and that it was the company’s priority to address this need and to have increased manufacturing capacity available to grow its biopharmaceutical business.

“It is our long-term experience in Ireland which was a major factor in our choice of location and we are now looking forward to progressing this major development and building on our strong presence in the Cork region” said Mr Sheroff. “As important, Ireland offers strategic proximity to Centocor’s largest biopharm manufacturing facility in Leiden, the Netherlands,” he added.