Minister Martin announces Major Developments for GlaxoSmithKline in Cork

Pioneering breast cancer drug to be manufactured in Ireland creating 150 jobs

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin T.D. announced today (Thursday 29^th March, 2007) that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is to invest up to €250 million over five years in its production site at Currabinny, Co. Cork to manufacture products, including the active ingredient for TYKERB^® (lapatinib), a new oral treatment for advanced breast cancer. The investment is supported by IDA Ireland and will create up to 150 new high level positions.

GSK announced earlier this month that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved TYKERB^® (lapatinib), in combination with Xeloda (capecitabine), for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose tumours overexpress HER2 and who have received prior therapy including an anthracycline, a taxane and trastuzumab. Tykerb is the first, targeted once-daily oral treatment option for this patient population and data show it, in combination with caecitabine, is effective for women whose disease has recurred despite previous treatment.

Worldwide, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, resulting in over one million new cases each year. Each year around 360,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in Europe. In Ireland, one woman in eleven will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Despite advances, however, many women progress after treatment and effective alternatives are needed.

Speaking at today’s announcement Minister Martin said: "We were pleased to hear that GSK has received FDA approval for Tykerb and delighted to know it would be manufactured in Ireland. It is marvellous news for the pharmaceutical industry base in Ireland, but even more so for the millions of women worldwide who suffer from the most horrific disease of breast cancer. I am delighted to announce this decision on behalf of GlaxoSmithKline, a company at the forefront of pharmaceutical development and a leader in its field.”

The Minister continued “This investment further strengthens Cork’s enviable reputation as a location of excellence in the pharmaceutical industry. It is also more evidence of the company's commitment to Ireland, following on from its recent announcement of a major research collaboration with the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre in UCC”.

Andrew Witty, President of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals in Europe said “The recent approval of Tykerb by the FDA is great news for those women with advanced breast cancer and it demonstrates our R&D organisation’s strong commitment to the discovery and development of novel cancer treatments. We are dedicated to the further study and development of Tykerb in a variety of settings including adjuvant breast cancer as well as in other solid tumor types and I’m delighted that Irish researchers will be assisting us in this regard”.

Finbar Whyte, Site Director GSK Cork said “We are delighted to have been chosen as the production site for the Tykerb Active Ingredient following years of committed research and development work by GSK employees around the world. Since our clinical trial programme on Tykerb began, it has been greatly anticipated. Indeed, seventy-seven Irish women participated in Tykerb clinical trials in Ireland.”

GSK Cork is a strategic global new product introduction site within GSK and manufactures the active ingredients of medical compounds. The Currabinny site was established in 1975 and over 600 people are employed there. More than 1600 people are employed by GSK in Ireland across four sites in Cork, Dublin and Dungarvan.

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For further information please contact:

GlaxoSmithKline

Olivia Burke, Communications Manager, 01 4955218/ 086 6054411

Ann-Marie O’Sullivan, O’Sullivan PR, 021 4891100 / 086 8188163

IDA Ireland, Ruth Croke, Press and PR Manager 01 6034000

Notes for Editors

About GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline - one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies - is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better, and live longer. In Ireland, GlaxoSmithKline employs over 1600 people across four sites in Dublin, Cork and Waterford.

For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline at http://www.gsk.com.

About TYKERB^® / TYVERB^® (lapatinib)

Lapatinib, a small molecule that is administered orally, inhibits the tyrosine kinase components of EGFR (ErbB1) and HER2 (ErbB2) receptors. Stimulation of EGFR (ErbB1) and HER2 (ErbB2) is associated with cell proliferation and with multiple processes involved in tumour progression, invasion, and metastases. Overexpression of these receptors has been reported in a variety of human tumours and is associated with poor prognosis and reduced overall survival.

TYKERB^® is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies in the United States.

TYVERB® is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies in Europe and is the proposed trade name in certain markets, pending regulatory approval.

GSK and Oncology

This is a significant time for GSK in Oncology - the company is becoming an increasingly strong player in the oncology field with a pipeline of exciting assets. Tykerb typifies this expansion - it is an exciting new drug which potentially offers patients a genuine benefit.

By taking an innovative and flexible approach, GSK has successfully revolutionised drug discovery, resulting in a world-class R&D model that is delivering; GSK’s pipeline is now one of the largest and most robust in the industry (149 projects in clinical development as at end Feb 2006); oncology is a great example of its success - GSK is a leading player.

GSK has five drugs that can be approved by 2010: Aside from Tykerb and Atriance (, GSK has pazopanib, a drug to starve tumors of blood supply; HuMax-CD20, a medicine for blood cancers recently licensed from Genmab, and two supportive care products, casopitant and eltrombopag.

To access the latest GSK Oncology media materials, visit http://www.gskcancermedia.com

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